The Soul's Connector
by lusifergirl45
Summary: She walked toward the pack confidently, clad in ripped jeans, old converse, and a flannel button down.Her scent alerted the wolves,the scent of a shifter. "Leah, you know her!" Jacob asks. His eyes and mouth are both wide, displaying his bewilderment. "Yes. Guys, this is Princess Malina Dyani Karvok from the Inuits up in Alaska." SethxOC
1. Chapter 1

A door slammed and it was near enough that the boys could hear it, despite being in the garage. Paul growled and as each wolf got the scent, they too responded. They left the building, Sam in the lead, as they took large, quick strides following the scent. She walked toward the pack confidently, clad in ripped jeans, old converse, and a flannel button down, hanging open over a tight, gray tank top. Her skin, though tanned, was not the russet associated with the wolves, but her scent alerted the wolves because of what it was, the scent of another shifter.

"Are you Sam?" she asked, her eyes smoldering despite the current threat.

"I am." Sam stepped even more forward and let his arms hang to his side.

"My name is Malina, I come from an Inuit tribe in Alaska. I won't hurt you, do not worry, I come in peace." She flashes a quick smile, her icy blue eyes glimmering with humor.

"So why _are_ you here?" Sam asked.

"Yeah! And why are your eyes blue if you're an Inuit!" Embry yelled.

"Dude, shut up." Quil shoved his pack brother.

"I am here for many reasons, if we could just sit down, I could explain…" Malina trails off, shifting her eyes away momentarily.

"Of course. Let's bring her to Emily's. Where is Leah?"

"Right here! What's up?" Leah Clearwater walks up behind the pack. Suddenly, both girls charge towards each other. Before the pack has a chance to intervene, Malina and Leah are embraced in a hug.

"Sister." Malina whispers. They pull back from one another.

"What are you doing here?! I though that you where staying with-" Malina cut her off.

"Complication." She uttered. "Issues that occurred due to the shift in position were not in favor of being resolved with me there." Malina says.

"Leah, you know her?!" Jacob asks. His eyes and mouth are both wide, displaying his bewilderment.

"Yes. Guys, this is Princess Malina Dyani Karvok, or as I call her, Maley." Leah smiles, lightly throwing her arm around the other girl.

"Princess?!" Quil stutters.

"Yes, I am Princess of the Shanosi(made up) tribe up in Alaska. I hope you do not mind me coming here, but my people have been at war for a long time now with a rival tribe. My parents sent me away in hopes that the tribe will not capture me, as I am the cause of the war." Maley looks back down, ashamed of what has come to her people.

"Why would they send you away?" Jared asks skeptically.

"I am their only True Defender they have left. The rest of the Royals have not inherited this ability, and therefore I am rare- and dangerous."

"A True Defender is a shifter who is able to phase into at least 2 animals and like with the Bloodsuckers, some have extra abilities." Leah quickly clarifies. Malina nods.

"So what do you turn into? A fairy?" Quil jokes.

"I turn into a Polar Bear, and a Wolf, and I'm working on Owl but those wings are tough…"

"Tell them about your gift." Leah prompts.

"Isn't it obvious?" Malina quirks her eyebrow. "I'm a seer."  
"A seer?" Paul asks. Maley looks at the pack, dumbfounded.

"She can see people's souls, past or present." Leah says quietly. Nobody speaks, until about 8 minutes later.

"So, why have you come to us?" Sam asks, taking his leadership position.

"I am in danger, and Leah told me if I ever needed anything to come to her. Of course, if I am too much, I can leave, I have other connections in New Mexico, Texas, Arizona, Nebraska, but this is the closest, and my first pick." Maley blushes. "I have payment to offer, if you chose to allow me here…" Maley looks down and digs the toe of her beaten shoe into the hard ground. She turns around. "You know what? Never mind. I'll just go somewhere else. I am sorry for interrupting." The informal, worn state of her attire did not at all appear to fit her personality and accustomed lifestyle.

"Wait, at least show them the thing, before you leave. Even if you do still leave, just because it is so cool."

"What thing?" Quil asks.

"Shut up dude, they were getting there!" Embry pushes him.

"Boys!" Leah glares and they shrink away from her gaze. She turns to Maley. "Ready?"

The only reply from Malina is a curt nod before Leah picks up the largest rock she can find-and through.

"Watch out boys." Leah smirks.

"Wait, are you going to _throw_ that at her?!" Jared's voice hitches. Leah shrugs and tosses the rock, hard, at Malina. Before any of the pack members can move, a orb of light appears in front of Malina. Her strange, icy eyes glow and when she speaks, it as if there are 5 of her, not 1.

"Do not harm, Leah is family, and trying to help. Do. Not. Harm." After a moment or two the orb fades and Malina's eyes went back to normal. As the pack stood staring, Billy Black's wheelchair appeared on the porch of his house.

"She is a connection, she is the hope." His eyes were wide and his mouth dropped open. "It would be an honor for you to stay here with us." Each pack member's eyes widen with shock. They could not disobey an Elder.

LATER

"So, where is she going to stay?" Kim asked as she ate. They were at their usual Sunday Night Dinner.

"Sam wants her here, Billy wants her at his place, Sue wants her at hers, Quil is going to want her at his…We don't really know yet." Leah lets out a shaky breath.

"Well what about for tonight?"

"Where is she even?" Claire joins in.

"What is she like?" asks Nessie.

"Is she pretty?" Rachel asks.

"Emily told her to take a shower. Nessie brought over clothes for her from Alice. Apparently the Cullen's already know her from Denali, so Alice knows exactly her style." Leah rolls her eyes. "She is nice, and she was brought up like a regular child…she's actually gone through more than most. Her life is the opposite of sheltered…and you'll have to see for yourself. She should be down soon." Seth walks into the kitchen for more food and walks by Leah on his way back to the table.

"Mom said she might be staying with us." He wiggles his eyebrows.

"Yeah. She'll get your room. You have to share with Mom." Leah jokes back. Seth growls before sticking his tongue out at his sister.

"So where is she staying tonight?" Kim prompted again. Leah bit her lip.

"We don't really know…" the girls all played with their pasta as they let themselves become wrapped up in their minds. Maley's voice suddenly was heard as she spoke to somebody on the phone at the top of the stairs.

"_Yes. I am safe. I will not say, just in case. Yes, they are still protecting me." _Though they understood some of the words, none of them were English. Maley said goodbye and bounded down the stairs, wearing dark, tight fitting flare leg jeans and a tight, royal blue tee shirt with a plaid flannel opened over it. Her feet were clad in leather boots with fur on the inside that were clearly hand made and not store bought.

"My mother says thank you." Maley announces quietly. A slight gasp is heard from everyone's mouths as they look at her, understanding why her appearance is so out of the ordinary. Her skin, while tanned, held no resemblance to the reddish brown that appeared on the Quileute's skin. Her hair was dark, long and wavy like many of the natives here, but it housed one single white stripe, and her eyes were a deep icy blue that looked so odd when she should have brown eyes.

"She should not need to worry." Emily bent her head and frowned.

"Hey! Show them the thing!" Embry and Quil egged on. A subtle blush crept over Maley's cheeks as everyone looked over at her. Quil picked up a fork to throw at her and just as Emily was about to yell, Sam stopped her. Seth came back into the room from the bathroom right as Maley's eyes glowed and the spirits rose to protect her from the wrath of Quil's fork. The metal clattered to the ground as Maley's eyes stopped glowing. She looked straight into Seth's eyes and breathed out loudly. Everyone in the room understood.

Not only had Seth just imprinted on Malina, but Malina had too imprinted on Seth, and a double imprint is the most powerful kind.


	2. Chapter 2

"Welp" Quil muttered. "I guess we know where she is staying tonight."

"Or _not_ staying." Embry replied in the same muttered tone.

"Woah." Seth breathed.

"Alright we can deal with that later. Where will she stay tonight?" Sam demands.

"What are the options again?" Claire asks.

"Here, Sue's, Billy's, Quil's." Emily lists off.

"Whose decision is it exactly?" Kim questions.

"Sam, I'd just feel better if she were here." Emily whispered. He nodded.

"Maley, where would you like to be?" Sam asked politely. The response from Maley was surprising, and their first dose of her real personality.

"Look, I've been walking all day. I don't care where I go, I just need to sleep. Ooh is that alfredo sauce?!" she asks. She walks swiftly over to the table and starts eating from Leah's plate.

"Oh shove off you pig!" Leah laughs, pushing away her friend. Emily rushes to fix Malina a plate.

"Oh! And my Grandfather just texted me-"Nessie started.

"Carlisle?" Jacob raised an eyebrow. Nessie nodded.

"He said that no matter where she stays, that we will pay for her needs as well as the groceries for the house." Nessie says. Everyone is quiet.

"So whose decision is it exactly to say where Maley stays?" Leah asks.

"Shouldn't it be Malina's?" Seth asks confused.

"We have to determine where she would feel most comfortable, plus who else is in the house, who has room for her, and who would have the best protection." Everyone in the house looked around until unanimously declaring Sam's home the place for Malina.

"Malina, do you want more honey?" Emily asked. She was worried this girl was going to fall over from being so tired but the way she ate made her wonder when the last time she ate was.

"Yesterday, around noon." Maley said, replying to Emily as if she'd spoken her thoughts.

"Pardon?" Rachel asked politely.

"The last time I ate. Emily asked, didn't she?" Maley looked up, her exhaustion clear on her face.

"I thought it, I never said it." Emily said quietly. The answering look on Maley's face was one of horror.

"I am so sorry. I never, ever meant to do that. Please forgive me, when I am tired my gift becomes self controlled." Maley winces away from the table as if awaiting a blow.

"It's no problem, really." Emily replies earnestly. Maley relaxes and her body starts to hunch forward.

"I am really tired, could I go to bed now please?" Maley asks.

"Of course. Seth, why don't you show Maley her bedroom?" Emily suggests. As Seth and Maley go upstairs, Emily and Sue share a knowing look. Seth was staying at Sam's tonight.

"I am so tired." Maley stated, not bothering to hide as she took her pants off and crawled under the covers. "Are you going to just stand there or…" she said, her eyes closed.

"Do you sleep with your door open or closed?" Seth asked.

"Almost all the way closed." She replied softly. Seth fixed the door for her before taking off his own shorts and jumping into the queen sized bed in his boxers and to his surprise, and pleasure, a sleepy and almost unconscious Malina turned towards Seth, cuddling up against his chest.

"I'm happy I imprinted on you." She mumbled.

"I'm happy I imprinted on _you_." Seth replied. And with that, they both fell asleep.

THE NEXT MORNING

"Knock knock!" a voice sing-songed from the hallway side of the door to Malina's room. Malina and Seth stirred slightly, but neither awoke. Leah and Emily walked in to see the two asleep, cuddled up with each other, one protective arm slung over Malina's shoulders.

"Oh my gosh." Emily softly squealed. Leah, smirking, pulled out her camera phone and took a picture of the scene before her. Emily gave her cousin a look that was a mix of amusement and disapproval.

"Should we wake them?" Leah asked, truly concerned about the amount of sleep Malina had gotten before she arrived. "She practically passed out downstairs."

"Let's give them another hour or two. It can't hurt, and I'm sure Seth is exhausted." The two girls closed the door and walked back downstairs where the rest of the pack was finishing breakfast.

"Where are they?" Embry asked, his mouth full of eggs and bacon.

"Still fast asleep." Emily replied. Leah passed around her phone, showing everyone the picture she had taken.

"That's probably a good idea. I mean its only 7 in the morning, and Malina practically sleep walked at dinner last night…" Sam said. The pack nodded.

"So what is the plan for today?" Jake asked, walking through the front door.

"We figured we would get Malina settled in wherever she is going to stay, enroll her in the school, and find out as much as possible about her and her abilities." Emily explained.

"Alice and Rose want to take her shopping." Jake said. "We can get her set up wherever during that time. Getting out of town will distract her. Plus, Alice is sending Esme over to redo Malina's bedroom, wherever that may be." Jake rolled his eyes, but the Cullens were accepted on the Rez after they protected the pack.

"Why school?" Quil questioned.

"We figured it would be the best way to keep her occupied, at least during the day. What else is she going to do? I mean the poor girl is barely 16." Emily shifts her eyes to a dent in the wooden table and traces it with her fingers.

"What name are you going to register her under?" Kim asks. She had been quietly watching.

"Maley Atera. She's 'Quil's cousin' from Nevada." Sam said with a slight smile. He and Emily had stayed up late, thinking of what to do next. Quil crossed his arms and grumbled.

"Now I'm not the favorite Atera…" he looked into the distance. Everyone laughed quietly.

Upstairs, Malina and Seth were just waking up.

"Morning starshine." Seth said, pressing his lips against Malina's temple. He rubbed her back underneath her shirt, feeling the muscle as well as her bones underneath his palms. She felt delicate and fragile, as well as strong.

"Morning." Malina mumbled back. She turned her body and held onto Seth by reaching her left arm up and around his neck, suddenly completely aware that neither of them wore pants and that Seth was without a shirt. She hid a smile before hiding her face against his chest, closing her eyes again while Seth continued to rub her back. Their bare legs were tangled and neither of them did anything about it as they lied there, silently communication through sighs and light kisses.

"What do you say, time to get up? Let's go start the day, I'm sure Emily has a great breakfast set up." Seth drew designs on Malina's back lazily as her eyes fluttered open to reveal their stunning color. She smiles and nods, separating her legs from Seth's before untangling the bed sheets and standing up, stretching her arms up over her head. Seth watched her lovingly before getting out of bed himself and pulling on a tee-shirt and shorts.

Maley laughed. "Alice dropped by while we were sleeping to drop off clothes." She took off her flannel and shirt before grabbing the stick of deodorant nearby and rubbing some on. She was not ashamed of her body, at least not around Seth. She knew he was watching her, but she also knew it was out of admiration and love, not lust and need.

"I like that color on you." He told her as she pulled on a tight flitting dark blue-grey long sleeve shirt. "It brings out your eyes." Seth smirks. Maley rolls her eyes before slipping on faded flare jeans that hinted at designer origins. She pulled on socks and her worn Converse before looking at the mirror and deciding to braid her hair quick. She turned towards the door and Seth followed as they pattered down the wooden stairs one after the other.

"Morning sleepyheads." Leah called from the kitchen. Seth took Maley's hand easily and they sat at the table with the rest of the pack.

"Hi." Malina said quietly. She looked around the table at the piles of eggs, bacon, and toast, trying to hide her disappointment. Emily noticed.

"Is there something you are wanting that is not here?" Emily asked.

"I'm sorry…I just don't recognize any of this food…" Maley admitted. Everyone stopped and gawked at Maley.

"Scrambled eggs, from chicken eggs, bacon is from pigs, and toast is bread." Leah said to Maley, who nodded, unsure.

"What do you usually have for breakfast?" Collin asks.

"Fish, homemade crackers, maybe some Elk Butter, and a little bit of deer milk if were lucky." Everyone stared. Deer milk? Elk Butter?

"Well…we don't have any of that so why don't you try some eggs, bacon, and toast?" Jacob suggested with an awkward smile. Maley responded by swiping a bite of each off of Seth's plate, chewing thoughtfully before swallowing and loading up her own plate, wolfing down the entire portion. Seth laughed and wrapped his arm around his imprint, once more kissing her temple. Sue Clearwater, who had just entered the room with Billy, looked like she might pass out from overwhelming happiness.

Sam cleared his throat. "So, today, you and Seth are going to be going shopping with Alice and Rose." Maley nodded. "Seth, you are appointed her bodyguard. When you get back, were going to sit and talk with you, Malina, and find out what we need to know. While you are gone, Emily is going to go sign you up for school. You need to do something during the days, I think you will agree." Sam smiled at Maley and she returned the gesture.

"Alright. When am I going?" Maley asked. A knock at the door made her smile seem larger than possible and she was at the door within seconds, her speed comparable only to a vampire's. She opened the door and received bone crushing hugs from Rosalie Hale and Alice Cullen. All three girls started to talk rapidly in low, hushed voices. Sam cleared his throat and the vampires stepped inside, closing the door behind them.

"Ready to go?" Emily asked. Malina nodded and Alice and Rose said a quick hello and goodbye before trailing out to Alice's yellow Porsche, Seth trailing behind Malina. The wolves sat in the back as Alice drove with Rosalie in shotgun to Seattle.

"Ready for some shopping?" Alice asked excitedly, bouncing in her seat. Maley's response included her eyes glowing and a green spirit mist to appear around her momentarily. Alice and Rose laughed while Seth just started, amazed. The car stopped soon as Alice slid into a parking space at the mall and the quartet exited the car and walked to the building's entrance.


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you to everyone who followed and reviewed! I love reviews! Do more! Please! Review review review! Also I will start putting links to outfits below!**

**Disclaimer: Don't own any of SM's stuff**

MPOV

"So" Alice dances around me and walks backwards to look at me as we continue throughout the mall. Seth walks by me silently, carrying all of the bags without complaint. We had about 20 bags and weren't even half way through the mall. "I'm thinking we do shoes last? I have a few more stores I think you'll really like plus some I want to check out anyway." She smiles at me. "Hey, how about Seth and I run to the car real quick and put the bags in? You and Rose can start heading to the next store?" I nod easily, keeping in stride with Rose as Alice and Seth quickly veered off towards the exit and our car.

"Maley?" Rose asked with curiosity. I had stopped in front of the window to a shop, unwilling to move away from my spot. In the window was a mannequin wearing black leather pants and a decorated black leather jacket.

"I need those" I breathed, walking into the store.

"Hi! Can I help you?" a girl came forward and asked. Her hair was dark with bleached spots and stripes of colors complete with loads of dark make up and numerous piercings.

"Yes! I want that jacket and those pants." I asked quickly. Most of the other stuff I got was my style, sure, but Alice picked it out.

"Sure! Do you know what size you are? We also have a skirt that is leather."

"I'll take it. Small for the jacket, small for the skirt, 5 for the pants." I told her. She quickly found my sizes and I was ushered into the changing room to try them on. Rose threw a tee shirt over the door for me and I smiled. It was a ladies fit "The Who" tee shirt. I put it on and then zipped up the pants, slouching into the jacket.

"Wait!" Rose called. I smiled as she yelled "Watch out!" before throwing over a shoebox. When I opened it I saw black ankle booties. I slipped them on before opening the door. Alice, Rose, and Seth were there waiting a little ways from my door.

"Strut." Alice commanded. I grumbled a little, but I was used to her tactics as I walked down the hall, my hips swaying and my legs crossing over each other slightly as I moved. "Turn." She demanded. When I looked at her face she smiled, pleased. "Go change, we'll pay for this…ooo and that." Alice said as she saw the skirt. Rose had turned and was looking at other clothes. I knew that even as I changed, they would use my sizes they already had to find more tee shirts and pants, skirts, dresses, and accessories. I rolled my eyes, turned and walked back to the dressing room to change back into my clothes. When I got out, I saw that I was right. Alice and Rose were speed shopping, holding up articles of clothing every few seconds and asking for opinions. We left with 17 bags of clothing, but they were happy knowing I would definitely wear it all.

After Alice and Rose agreed with me that they would go shop and Seth and I could get food, I was walking towards the food court with my hand held tightly in Seth's.

"How are you so small if you're a shifter?" he asked as we ate.

"I'm not that small." I rolled my eyes. "But I know what you mean. All the True Defenders are, it makes it easier for us to turn into smaller animals." I shrug, taking another bite of pizza.

"But you still eat a crazy amount."

"Well yeah. I mean, you're a wolf and you eat this much. My first phase was into a freaking polar bear."

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that." He shrugged, chugging soda and then filling his mouth with a cheeseburger.

"I am enjoying this pizza." I smile at him.

"I can't believe you've never had it before." He looks at me, his eyes wide.

"A usual late meal for me was seal meat or fish meat, most often fish or caribou, and in the warmer month's fresh tubers with dried seaweed for the winter." I shrugged, ignoring the twinge of nostalgia as I thought about the salty fish meat. "We eat it all mostly raw or frozen, and sometimes we drink the seal blood." Seth looked disgusted. "It is part of our culture. It is believed to fortify our bodies and our blood, as well as make sure we use all of what we kill. No need to kill for just meat when we can use it all." I explain quickly. Rose and Alice find us soon and we walk out to the car. Alice drives us back to Sam's and once we arrive, all of the boys have to come out and help bring in bags.

"Jeeze Alice! How many bags did you get?!" Jake grunts.

"Like…70?" The pixie shrugs before running upstairs. I laugh as I walk through the door and breathe in.

"Mmmm Emily it smells amazing in here." The aroma reminded me that it was cool outside and I shivered against my light jacket.

"Thank you! I thought, since you're staying here, we might as well have a celebration dinner!" she smiled. "Why don't you go put you're clothes away…or at least start." Emily laughed. I sighed and, with Seth behind me, I started to walk up the stairs to my room.

"Hey, where did Alice and Rose go?" I asked Seth. He wouldn't look me in the eye and was holding back a smile.

"Let me go ahead of you." He said suddenly. I looked at him oddly before nodding.

"I'll be right there, I have to pee quick." I turned down the hall in the opposite direction of my bedroom and went to the bathroom, taking my time to adjust my hair and wash my face, even brushing my teeth quick. Finally, I couldn't put it off anymore. I turned and walked to my bedroom, taking a deep breath as I paused outside the door. Whatever they did in here is not something I am aware of. I pushed open the door and saw Rose and Alice standing with Seth, watching me from the far corner of the room.

"What the hell?" I breathed. My little bedroom that held nothing more than a dresser and a bed when I left was expanded somehow. I walked around silently, taking in each detail. My queen bed had a new frame as well as new sheets. I push my hand down to feel the sheets. Egyptian cotton…and a new mattress. The sheets are a dark grey blue and the frame is wrought iron, twisted elegantly against the newly painted walls. The icy blue had soft swirls of the dark grey blue that is my sheets with strings of white Christmas lights strung all around the room, hanging like icicles from the ceiling where it connected with the walls. The floors are new also-wooden cherry oak with a soft white rug-and a new dresser and a desk sat on opposite sides of the room, with the desk next to a small window and the dresser near my door. A large picture window took up half of the wall, complete with a window seat. The walk in closet-newly added of course- was already stocked with all of my new clothes and I knew immediately so was my dresser. My desk had a box on it, wrapped with paper and sealed with a ribbon.

"Oh my god." I whispered quietly as I opened the last door-my own bathroom. "How in the world did you get this all done? And how did you convince Sam and Emily?"

"Well, we paid for it of course, and Esme designed it. Edward, Bella, Carlisle, Jasper, Emmett, and Nessie helped, as well as all of the pack and Tanya, Kate, Garrett, Elezaer, Carmen, Nahuel, and Hulien are also in town. So basically, we had 14 vampires and 13 Shifters worked as fast and hard as they could to get this done. We convinced Sam and Emily by Emily convincing Sam and now they get their groceries for free, which is helpful and while they don't like taking our money, they don't exactly feel it's ours after we told them about my whole seeing the stock market stuff." Alice says quickly. I wipe a tear quickly.

"Why?" Is all I manage.

"Because Esme and Carlisle wanted you to stay with us but since the Elders are demanding you stay on La Push, this is the next best thing we could do." Rose says simply.

"This is amazing, please tell everyone thank you for me. I will try and be over soon…" I drift off as I look at all the different cosmetics that were on my vanity in the bathroom.

"We will be sure to tell them. For now, we have to go. Thanks for being our Barbie!" Alice jumped forward, kissed both cheeks, and then raced down to her car, Rose right behind her.

"Seth! Malina! Dinner!" Sam called. I raced down the stairs and hugged every person in sight.

"Thank you all so much, it means the world to me." I saw finally. Emily hugs me.

"We are so thankful to have you here, Maley. You make Seth happy, as well as the rest of us. Plus, you've brought the Cullen's and us closer which is helpful. Alright everyone let's eat!" she says. We all laugh and goof around as we sit and pile our plates high with food-chicken parm, salad, warm bread, and pasta. I sighed contently, happier than I had been maybe ever. I stuff myself full of food at a speed that rivaled Seth's-that is until Kim asks what I got at the mall.

"An entire wardrobe full." I say after looking at Seth as we rolled our eyes in unison.

"I had to make trips back to the car just to bring back bags so that I could carry more." Seth says, but it's not in complaint, it's more of an attempt to share my agony from the day.

"Yeah, of course she did. I mean have you met the pixie?" Jake asked.

"Aunt Alice is a little out of this world." Nessie admits. "When I was younger she spent her days with me and her nights online shopping for me. She was so pissed that I grew so fast, I was changing multiple times a day-both because she had so many extra clothes and because I was growing out of what we had so fast." Nessie rolled her eyes and I laughed.

"What is Nessie short for?" I asked, suddenly curious.

"Renesmee." She rolled her eyes again. "My mom's mother's name is Renee and my Dad's mother's name is Esme so it's a combination of the too. My middle name is Carlie, a combo of Carlisle and Charlie." She laughed and it was like bells. Jealousy panged my chest suddenly and I cleared my throat, uncomfortable.

"What were you going to be name if you were a boy?" Kim asked. The emotion in the room shifted into awkwardness.

"Well, your mom always called you EJ." Seth pointed out.

"She did?" Nessie asked, her head turning slightly. Seth nodded.

"I asked her once." Leah admitted suddenly. "She said EJ stood for Edward Jacob. She was so convinced you were a boy it was unrealistic. It drove everyone crazy, especially Edward." We all laughed easily. Emily, Kim, Claire, and Nessie got up and speedily cleaned the kitchen before bringing out dessert.

"What is this?" I ask. Everyone's eyes whipped towards me, staring.

"You've never had _cake_?!" Seth exclaimed. I shook my head slowly.

"Should I have?" I ask.

"YES!" everyone yells. I am cut a piece of the 'cake' and given a fork as everyone stared, watching my first bite of cake. I used the utensil and speared a piece of the fluffy dessert that was covered in white frosting. I put it into my mouth and it melted against my tongue, the sweetness practically crippling. My eyes closed against my will and I chewed slowly, swallowing in despair, wanting more.

"Mmmmmm" I said with my mouth closed. My eyes opened as I took another bite and smiled. "This is amazing." I said, my mouth full of my new favorite treat. "This is _so_ much better than Skimmer Pops." I told them.

"What the hell are 'Skimmer Pops'?" Paul scoffed.

"At home, in the summer, we used to get these treats-if we were good. They take this purple flower that grows and use the petals to make this sweet powder and then mix it with water, seaweed, and wild berries and make it into a paste. You wrap it around the end of a stick and cook it over the fire." I describe my favorite treat from home. "Nothing like cake, we didn't have any wheat or anything."

"No bread?" Embry said, unbelieving.

"Nope."

"How did you get your carbs?" Claire asked curiously.

"Our meat." When nobody understood, I clarified. "We eat the meat raw usually-right after or pretty soon after a fresh kill. There are no grocery stores, just hunters who go out each day and bring back fresh meat."

"Ewwww." Kim exclaimed.

"What kind of meat are we talking here?" Quil said, suggesting that he could do it.

"Caribou, fish, seal, whale…they used to hunt polar bear but I outlawed it."

"Yep. Couldn't do it." Quil said quickly. I laugh and everyone else joins in while I finish up my cake and bring my dish in. With my belly full and my spirit happy, I felt completely at home. I stayed up talking with everyone for another few hours but eventually had to go up.

"Mal?" Seth asked. "You want to go to bed?" I shook my head to wake up and then looked at Seth, nodding.

"Go to sleep Malina. You're still adjusting." Sam said kindly. I smiled and Seth helped me upstairs. I brushed my teeth and washed my face before changing into an oversized long sleeved tee-shirt. Suddenly I remembered the box on my desk and turned to open it. Seth was sitting on my bed, his shorts and shirt off, watching me.

"Do you know what this is?" I ask him. He shakes his head and I turn back to the box, ripping open the paper and opening the box.

"There is a letter." I whispered.

"Read it." I read it over quickly before passing it to Seth. "Uhh…babe, this isn't English…"

"Oops! Sorry, it's Inuit. I'll read it to you." He hands me back the piece of paper. I unfold it and clear my throat. "_My dearest Lina, we miss you so much here, but we are all happy you are safe. Your father would be so proud of you and I can only hope you remember that every day. The Panku_ (Also made up)_ have yet to notice your disappearance and we are not sure when they will notice, or what their reaction will be. If it comes to fighting, you know our people will, but very few were entrusted in your whereabouts and those who were, will not tell. As much as I write to you in love, I must admit that I am also writing in fear. _

_ My dear Lina, I am unaware of what will happen with out neighbors, but I am almost sure that whatever happens, they will kill me. Your sisters and brothers have been sent to the Shifters in New Mexico and Nebraska, and all have received gifts such as this. I love you my darling, remember who you are-no matter what. Your siblings have ways to contact you, just as you do them. Take care of one another._

_ Love, _

_ Dyani Anna Karvok_

_ Your mother_

I wiped away my tears before looking up at Seth.

"They're going to kill her?" he whispered. I nodded silently.

"She sent my siblings away too. That's big. It means she's confident she will pass away."

"What about your father?"

"He died several moons ago." I wiped my eyes once more as Seth nodded.

"Well, what is in the box?" I peered inside the box once more and pulled out the contents.

"Looks like documents. Old pictures, my birth certificate, my dad's death certificate. Money. A photo album. More papers." I shrug and return everything back to the box. "I'll look more tomorrow." I walked back to my bed and climbed in, asleep before Seth was lying down.

A FEW HOURS LATER

"Ah!" I woke suddenly, the pain in my chest all too familiar-which was causing anxiety. "Argh!" I panted and held my chest, tears streaming down my face. Seth sat up.  
"Maley?" his voice held panic.

"ARRGGHH!" I tried to hold back my yelling, but the pain was too much. Sam and Emily came running in, turning on the light as they entered.

"Is she okay?!" Emily asked.

"What happened?!" Sam demanded.

"She just woke up and was like this."

"Her eyes are glowing." Emily whispered. And I know they are, because I can feel every soul in the world at this moment, including my mothers.

And it wasn't attached to a body. After fighting for a few moments with the spirits and the emotions, I was finally able to relax. Tears fled as I started to hiccup.

"Malina? What happened?" Sam was cautious.

"My mother has been killed." I say before I start to sob. Seth quickly fills Emily and Sam in on the letter and Emily rubs my back as I cry. I fall asleep eventually and they leave. I am stuck navigating my dreams on my own, which are filled with my mother and memories of her, and her memories. I am stuck, unconscious, with the knowledge that my mother is dead, and there is no way of getting her back.

**Hope you liked it! REVIEW PLEASE! Also-here is her leather outfit: cgi/set?id=129091437**


	4. Chapter 4

**Guyssss! Please review! Also, I decided that Malina pretty much looks like a tan Adriana Lima!**

**Typical Disclaimer-blah blah blah.**

MPOV

I wake with puffy eyes and the memory of my mother's death. The pain felt is just as bad if not worse than the pain I felt after my father's death, when his spirit joined me. To protect me. Now both of my parents are on my Guard, and though they are both gone, they are also with each other, and me.

I needed to run, I needed to phase and run passed boarders and back. The exhaustion helps my body release the pain so that my brain can process what had happened.

I slipped out of bed, careful to not wake Seth before silently grabbing clothes and walking out of the house, hiding a pair of jeans and a jacket in the bushes. I went into the forest and phased easily into a polar bear, running as fast as possible. Unlike Alaska, however, there were too many trees and I was too big as a polar bear to weave in and out. The agility came when I phased into a wolf, my body slim enough and my agility strong enough that I was able to run as fast as I wanted relatively easily. When the forest spit my onto the beach, I phased back into a human momentarily to enjoy the sparkling stars that were still out before attempting to phase into an Owl.

The Owl is the hardest because it is so different from wolves and polar bears, but as I focused on my breathing and let myself relax, I spread my arms, closed my eyes, bent my knees, and jumped. The responding phase filled my body with pleasure and pride as I soared above the land, flapping my wings and flying over the unsteady water. I watched the grayish blue green that was the salty aquarium below with intense interest, dipping and diving and flying high just to shift and fly forward towards the ocean, leveling out just before I reached the water. The beauty of this ocean was a very different sort than the beauty of the Pacific and Artic oceans that I was used to. Those were more dangerous to fly over, in fear of whale, walrus', and polar bears.

"_Malina is safe"_ a voice said in my mind. The sudden mental company surprised me and I quickly flew higher and turned back towards First Beach.

"_Who are you?"_ I asked to the voice in my mind.

"_It's Jared. I am on patrol. Are you not aware that packs can communicate mentally in their phased form?" _he asks. Taken aback, I don't even pay attention as I phase from an owl to a wolf so smooth I don't know if I could do it again. I take off in a trot, following Jared's scent.

"_No, I was not aware of this. So am I part of the pack then?" _I asked. This ability has been talked about only in legends and old stories. There was not enough shifters when I was home to prove that the link is real.

I was the only shifter, and now I'm not sure if my Tribe is even alive. My mother sure wasn't and if our neighbors are as ruthless as I believe them to be, I am sure my Tribe is gone. They would not believe anyone's pleas that they do not know my location.

And as guilty as I feel that my entire Tribe is most likely gone because of me, I know I must stay strong. As the last True Defender from the Artic, maybe even anywhere, I have a duty to protect my people and reproduce with another Shifter in order to produce True Defender Offspring.

Thank god for Seth.

_"Part of the pack? Yes, I guess you must if you're communicating with us."_ Jared responded moments before I found him and then phased into my owl, flying back to Sam and Emily's.

As I walked through the door, Emily's head poked out from around the corner. She smiled sadly and offered me a muffin.

"Do we have any fish?" I ask, suddenly home sick.

"Like fresh fish?" she asked. I nodded. "No, sorry. I know Jake's dad went fishing recently, he might have some." She suggested. I was back out the door in no time and ran to the little red house where I knew Billy lived with Jake. I knocked on the door and heard the wheels of Billy's wheelchair roll against the floor, the wooden panes underneath creaking at the weight.

"Malina! What a pleasure! Come in, come in!" Billy widened the door for me. He and the Elders had all been very excited about my arrival. True Defenders were practically unheard of around here, only in very old tales did they appear. The protection of these tribes was dependent upon the collective power of the packs.

"I was just wondering if you had any fresh fish you'd be willing to part with?" I asked hopefully. I rubbed the back of my neck with my hand. "I…well…my mother passed away in the middle of the night and now I am craving food from home." I admit. Knowing your mother is dead just from chest pain would be extremely unlikely and unrealistic to normal people, but Billy knew. The spirits work together in this world in mysterious ways and for a True Defender or a particularly spiritual pack member, when the spirit of a close family member or friend shifted from living in a body to being free, the shifter could tell. The pain connects them to the spirit, as often times the pain is actually the pain felt as the spirit's body died. My mother had been brutally murdered, for the pain was worse than when my father passed, and he had drowned after a whale he had tried to kill grabbed him with its mouth and held him under. Drowning is one of the most painful ways to die-right up there with being burned alive or freezing to death.

"I do actually. I just got back from fishing with Charlie Swan. We went out early this morning. I am very sorry about your mother, please let me know if there is _anything_ at all I can do to help ease your pain. I know that you will be hurting for a long time, but please remember she sacrificed herself to make sure you and your siblings are safe. Don't let that be in vain. You should start school as soon as possible and try to blend in. The more people who accept you as Maley the more you will be protected from that other tribe."

"That is very true. I will go tomorrow." I decided. I know it was soon, but Billy was right. My mother _had_ sacrificed herself. She was dead, yes, but maybe I could channel that anger into not only hiding myself and training well enough that I pose threats to my rival Tribe, but I could also find my siblings and maybe get them here. If we all lived together it could be dangerous, but it could also help us. I am much stronger with them around and as much as I am the only True Defender, all of my siblings are shifters, each into an animal that best describes them. They could fit in here easily. My eldest brother is old enough to own a house for sure. We could all live together…but if a sudden large number of people moved to La Push and all lived in one house like that…there would be questions. I have many brothers and sisters, and none of us have the russet skin of the Quileutes.

"The fish is in the fridge. How many would you like?" he asked me.

"Just two please. And again, thank you so much."

"Sure, sure." He waved his hand as if to say 'it's nothing' before rolling himself into the kitchen and stopping before I heard him open his fridge and shuffle around. The fridge door closed and he wheeled back into the living room where I stood, admiring the photos of his family.

"Here you are." Billy presented the fish to me with a wide, proud smile on his face.

"Thank you." I said graciously, taking the two large fish from him. I gave him a quick hug and peck on the cheek before I walked out of the door and back to Sam and Emily's, giving one fish for Emily to put in the fridge as I took the other to first beach, placing it on a lavender rock before I started to work at it. Eventually the head was removed and tossed in the water as I said a small chant for it and then continued to clean the fish, eating the meat raw as I came across it.

"Want to share?" Seth asked, walking up behind me. I look back and laughed.

"Sure, if you want raw fish." I laughed, handing Seth a chunk of the fish meat with my bare hands. He made a look right then, his eyebrows furrowed and his eyes widened as his head turned slightly and his cheeks morphed into a very uncomfortable looking position.

"Raw?!"

"Yep. Missing my mother made me want food from home." I smiled at Seth as he reached out and took the chunk of fish. I watched as he smelled it and then wrinkled his nose before putting it into his mouth and chewing thoughtfully. I smiled as he reached out for more.

"Hey," he started. I handed him more fish. "What is a fish with no eyes?" he asked me. I was the confused one with furrowed eyebrows this time. I thought for a few minutes before giving up.

"I don't know." I told him, shocked. "What is it?"

"A fshhh!" he told me, a huge smile glued on his face. I couldn't help but giggle. Seth stood up as we were finishing up the fish and watched as I once more threw the unused fish parts into the water, chanting and praying that nature would use it to replenish the soil and feed the hungry fish in the ocean as I apologized for not fulfilling my duty as an Inuit, using all of what is killed.

"Ready to go back?" Seth asked, holding out a hand for me. I nodded and took it. He guided me through a trail in the forest that led us back to the house, and as we walked back, I felt deeply content, ready for whatever I might need to be ready for. Seth's hand was hot and overwhelming on my burning, childlike hand as it stayed wrapped around the bones, knuckles, tendons, and skin.

As we entered the house, I noticed Brady, Collin, Embry, Quil, Paul, Sam, and Emily were all busy doing something, whether it was watching sports or eating. Emily all but ran out of the kitchen.

"Malina!" she said. "Someone called for you!" I was suddenly scared.

"Who was is?" I asked quickly.

"Your brother." She replied simply.


	5. Chapter 5

**Hi! I know I haven't updated in like, 11 days, and I'm sooooooo sorry! But here I am! And again, I love reviews! They keep me writing more, so if you want more, REVIEW! **

**I don't own jack squat. **

"My brother?" I asked Emily. She nods, her brown eyes wide. "Did he leave a number?"

"Yea! He gave me a message and a name." Emily seemed more excited than I was about this progression, but the fact that they contacted me worried me. I was the youngest, the most protected, but also the most picked on. Emily leads me into the kitchen, where a notepad that sits next to the vintage phone is filled with Emily's neat scrawl.

_Anik- call ASAP. 678-9987 URGENT_

"Oh, thanks Em. I'm going to call him now, is that alright?" I ask her.

"Of course!" she all but throws her hand in the air and I grab the cordless phone from the other room. I type in the phone number before going outside to sit on the porch. The ringing continues while I dig my toe into the dirt, waiting for someone to pick up.

"_Hello?"_ the deep voice is all but my own in its familiarity.

"Anik." I breathe.

"_Malina?!"_

"Yes. How are you? Where are you?"

_"I am in Seattle. Mom sent me to you, she said I have to be your protector." _I could hear the smile in his voice, but I wondered if he knew about our mother's death.

"Do you know where the others are?"

_"Yes. But first, where are you?"_

"I will send for you. Take care. I love you." I hang up without a reply from my brother. To say I will send for him means that I will send my spirits to tell him where to go. If he shifts to follow them, which he will, we've got less than 3 hours until Anik is with us.

"Emily!" I yell as I walk through the door. She is out of her seat and in front of me in moments, waiting for some sort of news or alert.

"What is it?" she asked breathlessly, though it wasn't from exercise.

"My brother Anik is coming. He should be here in about 3 hours, my mother sent him."

"Oh! So we need someplace for him to sleep?" I nod.

"I'm not sure how long term though, I have a feeling eventually all of my siblings will join me here and we will get our own house. I have to go; I told him I'd send the spirits to help guide him." Emily nods as I hug her quickly and run out to the beach, quickly finding a spot to sit. I focused on all of the energy, both within me and around.

"Please, spirits that surround, I need your help. Please find my brother, Anik Rylak Karvok. He needs your guiding in order to find me, please help me. As the possible last True Defender, I beg of you to do this for me. My family makes me stronger, and without my strength, I may never survive to produce more True Defenders." I can't see my surroundings, but that is okay. I can feel the wind and the salty spray, and smell the brine and sand. What I see is the spirits who are getting ready to go find Anik. Among them, I see my mother and father, standing together arm in arm. I smile and can feel a tear drip down my cheek, but I don't dare blink, afraid that what I am seeing will go away. The happiness of my parents is everything to me, and after my father died, my mother had been very unhappy, choosing to focus all of her energy on protecting the Tribe, my siblings, and me.

"Please." I whisper, and the spirits nod to me, one by one taking flight. Eventually I take a breath and pull away from the spirits.

"Maley? Are you okay?" a soft voice asks. I look up to see Claire, Quil, Embry, Seth, and Leah all sitting near me, worry on their faces.

"Yea, I'm good. Anik is my twin, he is a good man." I smile. "But my older twin." I laugh lightly.

"By how much?" Claire asks curiously.

"5 hours, give or take." I shrug my shoulders and Leah lets out a loud, barking laugh. I jump at the sudden noise, but Leah just laughs harder, and louder. Thank the gods nobody was on the beach today.

"Damn!" Embry exclaims.

"Dude, shut up." Quil elbows his best friend in the ribs.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"Being an idiot! Shut it!"

"Hey! Why are you being a dic-"

"Guys! Both of you, cut it out!" Claire ordered. Both Quil and Embry mumbled apologies before hunching their shoulders and slouching down.

"So, when is he going to be here?" Embry asks eventually. I had been staring off at the horizon line, watching as the waves occasionally rise high enough to obstruct my view. The grey water intrigued me. Why was it grey? Isn't this the same ocean that touched up in Alaska? But how is this grey liquid the same as my beautiful deep blue? The dull colored fish that filled this ocean are not the same as my shiny, silver and multicolored trout or albacore. No salmon here, nor any walruses or polar bears, rarely are whales or dolphins seen. However, the rocks made me okay with the unusual waters, because though they looked to be dull and brown from afar, up close, they range from lavender to turquoise to a deep red, all while staying smooth on the water's edge.

"Few hours." I shrug my shoulders. "Want to learn how to fish?" I ask with a sudden smile. Claire shook her head as she moved to sit farther from the water on an old log, but Seth, Leah, Embry, and Quil were all giving me large smiles and nodding.

"Alright, so were going to have to go in deeper…" I lead them further into the water and stop only when I see a good sized trout swimming nearby. I grin and lean over, keeping my knees bent and ready to pounce. Within seconds the trout has unknowingly put itself into the perfect position and I lunge. The splash I make doesn't affect me as I wrap my arms around the large fish. I smile once I feel its wriggling body in my grip and I stand up, grabbing the spot near the end of the ribs to hold onto as it flaps around.

"What the fuck?" Embry says quietly. I smile.

"You stand still, watch, lunch, hug, pull back, and grab. That easy." I toss the trout back into the water, admiring the reflections off its scales.

"Uh…yea you're kind of crazy." Quil declares.

"You're just saying that because you know you can't do it." Seth cocked his eyebrows at his pack brother and I shared a look with Leah, who has fished with me before.

"How do you keep the fish when you are still getting more?" Embry asks.

"We usually wear like a pack or something on our backs to carry fish in. We only did it when it was warm enough out, because even though we were all shifters and the tribe knew it, some people were disturbed by seeing us in the cold water."

"Who is all shifters?" Quil asks.

"My siblings and I all shift, along with a few of the tribe kids, and we all run really hot, and don't feel temperatures."

"Like us." Leah states. I nod.

"What do they all change into?" Embry, again.

"Anik turns into an eagle for his wisdom. Sasha turns into a grizzly bear, because of his protective qualities. Nika turns into a puma because she is stealthy. Namu turns into a deer because she is caring and motherly. Ina turns into a chameleon, which is weird but she hides in society. Raykan turns into a wolf because of his spirit. Kunik turns into a moose, because of his stubbornness." I smile as I think of my numerous siblings.

"There are 8 of you?!" Embry's jaw dropped and I giggled.

"Yep. Kind of hard to stay warm up there if you know what I mean." I wink at Embry and Quil and they all fall over laughing.

"Ohmygod I can't believe you just said that." Leah gasps out between breaths. Still standing in knee deep water, I look at Quil.

"Your turn!" Quil's face reddens and when he tries to back out, I give him a look that stops anything further from leaving his mouth. Grumbling, he turns and squats slightly, and before I can tell him he's off balance, he lunges for the fish and falls face first into the water. I can't help the tears that leave my eyes from laughing so hard, and neither can anyone else as Quil stands up soaking wet, a huge frown on his face.

"GAH!" he complains. We all start laughing again as Quil decides its Embry's turn to fish. Putting a smile on his face, Embry balances on his feet as he squats slightly, bending his torso forward. He is more evenly balanced than Quil, but when he lunges, the fish freaks out and as Embry grabs onto it, the fish's tail slaps him in the face. Embry quickly lets go of the creature and looks up at us, a look of surprise plastered on his face.

We all start our laughing all over again, needless to say. Suddenly, we heard Emily calling us. I had a feeling my brother was here. We raced back to the beach where Claire was sitting, watching us. She was close enough to hear and see everything so she was wearing a small smile as she stood up and walked with us to Emily's. Seth grabbed my hand as we walked up to the house. As we stepped in, the silence was the only greeting and we walked into the kitchen to see my twin, Anik, with dark eyes, tanned skin, and dark hair, waiting with a stern expression.

"ANIK!" I yelled as I jumped into his arms. The safety they gave me was unbeatable, except maybe by Seth's arms.

"Lina, oh my Lina." He whispered, holding me tight. He kissed my forehead before setting me down.

"Are you hungry?" Emily asked. Everyone answered with a swift yes and she started on dinner. Meanwhile, Anik looked angrily at Seth's hand holding mine.

"What is this?" he asks me in swift Inuit. His anger is evident, but I don't care.

"He is my imprint, and I am his." I respond in our home language and as soon as I say it, his face softens and Seth relaxes beside me. Anik had been giving him the death glare.

"Imprint? Really?" I nod as my brother's frown twists into a smile so large I thought he was possessed. He hugged me again before shaking hands with Seth and telling me to leave them so they could talk. I helped Emily cook as I kept an eye on their little "chat", but Seth and Anik both were smiling and laughing the entire time.

"Anik, come here a moment." I called him as Emily put the last tray in the oven. Walking out of the kitchen, I met him halfway to the front door. We sat on the step for a little while before I could say anything.

"What is wrong, Lina?" he asks me softly. I was fiddling with my thumbs, which Anik knew as a sign something was wrong.

"Mom is dead. Did you know that?" I responded, my voice soft and raw, breaking part way through.

"Yeah, I felt it. I'm not sure the rest did though." He looks at me sadly.

"How did you find me?" I look at my brother suddenly.

"Didn't you open your box?" he asked. Confused, I explained that my box only held official documents.

"Anik! Maley! Dinner!" Emily called. We stood up, but Anik took hold of my arm.

"We-you- need to look at your box again." He looks at me seriously, but then smiles and guides me up to the house and to the table.

"Thank you again for letting me stay here, even if it's only the couch." Anik says sheepishly to Sam and Emily. They both smile and share a loving look with each other before telling Anik it is no big deal. Really.

"Alright everyone," Emily started, clapping her hands to get the attention of everyone. "DIG IN!" she throws her arms up and we all laugh. Most of us used our forks as shovels. Anik looked happier and better fed that I had seen him in a long time. Since Dad died, I realized suddenly.


	6. Chapter 6

**Thank you for the views! I seriously love you guys. Like a lot. A lot. A lo. A l. A . A. . See what I did there? Also, guys reviews are awesome! Forreall doe…guys when you review it gives me a reason to continue the story and it means the world to me. So even if its just a word, or any critique at all, REVIEW!**

**Disclaimer! I don't own the stuff that that lady wrote. Mmmk got it? Good. **

That night, Anik slept on the couch, refusing to go to sleep until he knew I was unconscious. I woke up earlier than I had the past few days, but I felt well rested and wide awake. The alarm clock next to me told me it was 5:30 in the morning, and as I listened, I heard Emily and Sam in the kitchen. Sounded like Embry also was with them. I shifted my weight slightly, sitting up as quietly as possible. Seth had to go patrol late last night and didn't come to bed until late. Gently, I pulled away from his warm body and silently slipped out the door. I thought for a moment before walking back into my room as quietly as possible and pulling on sweatpants. Before I left the room, I grabbed the box from my desk. I looked at Seth once more to make sure he was still asleep before I walked out.

The stairs creaked slightly as I stepped down them, but I ignored the noise in favor for company and food. The scent that wafted from the kitchen made my stomach growl loudly. My lips twitched up into a small smile as I walked into the kitchen to see Emily making blueberry muffins, Sam reading the paper, and Embry and Quil playing a game on the PS3 that was hooked up to the television. The tv was on mute, but what I couldn't believe is that the boys too were silent.

"Morning Maley. You're up early." Emily smiled at me. "Would you like a muffin?" she nodded towards a cooling rack and I eagerly grabbed the largest one I could find and set it on a plate. I moved to the table where I had set my box down a moment ago. After taking a giant bite of the muffin, I chewed and opened the box once more. I took out everything and set it in a pile beside the box.

The first piece was my father's birth certificate, followed by his death certificate. No writing was found on the back of either forms. My birth certificate was next, along with my mothers. Again, nothing on the back. Next was a photo album and a pile of pictures that didn't fit. Putting those aside, I continue on sifting through the papers. Money in the form of checks. Land deeds to where my tribe lived in Alaska. I take another bite of the muffin while looking over the deeds. A paper fell out as I unfolded the map accompanying the documents, and when I looked, I understood what Anik meant.

_Open the photo album. _ I recognized my mother's writing almost instantly as I rush to get hold of the photo album. I open it to see that it is empty of any pictures after the 3rd page, and instead is a carved out space that holds a small cell phone. I turn it on to find my siblings name's all programmed in with phone numbers to reach them at. Anik probably found me from looking up Sam's number after my mom told him the name of the tribe and everything about my whereabouts. A piece of paper catches my eye from below where the phone was. As I opened it, I once again see my mother's writing.

_Anik and Malina, 1_

_ Kunik, and Sasha-2_

_ Nika-3_

_ Ina-4_

_ Raykan and Namu- 5_

What do these numbers mean? I wrack my brain for 15 minutes before opening the phone. Pressing 2, I hit send, hoping maybe they were set speed dials. No such luck. Grumbling, I take another nibble of the muffin before looking at the papers once more.

A map catches my eye from the land deeds, and when I open it, I'm able to find numbers 1 through 5 written in. 1 was here, at La Push. 2 is in Texas where I know we have friends who live on the Apache reservations. 3 is in New Mexico, in the Navajo's land. 4 is in the Hopi reservation in Arizona, and 5 is in the Nebraskan reservation for the Omaha.

The numbers correlated with each of my siblings and matched up on the map, telling me where each is.

No, where each are supposed to go. There is a possibility that they did not reach the destination, but from what I can gather, they all have phones. Unlike me, they were given their boxes first instead of getting them once they arrive at their destination. Or maybe they get the phones first and have to wait for the box. I shrug my shoulders.

"Who ya talking to there?" Sam asks me. I jump at the sound of his deep voice and he laughs harder.

"Myself, of course." I respond with a tight smile. My muffin was half eaten, but my mouth felt dry and I no longer felt hungry. I finished putting the papers into the box before I stalked up the stairs and placed it on the empty desk. The alarm clock now flashed 6:15, but I felt restless. I wanted to run, but not in a shifted form, just as a human. And alone.

As quietly as I could, and without turning on the lights, I shuffled around until I found a tee shirt, pair of workout shorts, and a pair of socks, and then at the last minute, walking into the closet to find a pair of sneakers. I changed quickly in my bathroom and then ran downstairs as quietly as possible.

"I'm going to go for a run. I'll stay close and be back soon." I tell Emily and Sam. Without waiting for a response, I let my legs carry my out the door, sprinting to the beach and along the coast. Eventually I had to turn around because the beach became too rocky, and I had to slow to a jog. Breathing heavily, I stretched in Sam's front yard. There isn't anything more fun than pulling a muscle.

"Lina?!" Anik's voice came from the front door, and as soon as I turned I saw him standing on the porch with Seth, their faces matching in their worried expressions. I couldn't help the smile that found its way onto my face.

"I just went for a run, I'm fine." I sent them a crooked grin and though it eased the worry away, they now were both angry.

"Why didn't you wake one of us up?!" Anik's voice booms and I pray that the neighbors are heavy sleepers.

"Because I wasn't leaving the reservation and I just wanted some alone time." I tell them honestly. "I needed to think. Let's go inside, I want to show you something." The two men followed me, though I could still feel their anger. I brought my box down and showed them the map.

"So this shows where we all are?" my brother asks.

"Yes, I think I'm the only one who has it, I'm not sure."

"You probably are, mom wouldn't want to take the chance of one getting into the wrong hands. If anyone found out where you are, you'd be dead in a minute." He snaps his fingers to demonstrate the speed of my death.

"Awesome…" I grumble.

"So what is your plan? Do you want them all in La Push, or do you want them to stay where they are?" Seth asks me. Sam, Emily, Embry, and Quil all join us at the table as we talk tactic.

"Well, I think eventually we need them all here. I'm not sure that they all reached their destination, I haven't had any calls or texts from anyone yet, so I'm definitely worrying. But if we get too many of us here at one time, it could cause problems for staying in plain sight. I mean we don't have the same skin tone, and that makes us stand out. If too many come at once, then that will cause issues too. People see people traveling, word can get around. Additionally, word can get around if all of a sudden 8 Inuit tribe members are found living on the land of La Push…" I rub my temples, willing away the stress and pleading for an answer.

"So have them come by where they're located. Is any reservation more dangerous? Or anyone you want or need here more?" Sam suggests.

"Well, Sasha and Kunik are together, as are Raykan and Namu, but Nika and Ina are on their own, so that could help decide, maybe a single then a double then a single then a double. The Cullen's would be more than happy, I think, build you a home that is inconspicuous and maybe deep in the woods to stay hidden? If you all move in slowly then there is a lower chance of being noticed." Seth suggests. I nod.

"That's a good idea, Seth, about the house. Plus, they don't have to work so nobody would see much of them. Your skin is surprisingly close to ours at first glance, I'm sure we could trick people for a long time if your siblings are only seen a few times. Plus, it would be helpful in hiding how many of you are living here." Emily enters the discussion excitedly, her mind spitting out ideas faster than I can breathe.

"Lina, I don't want you to worry about this. Let me handle getting everyone here." Anik's voice is quiet and soft, but there is a hidden sharpness to it that surprises me, like a papercut.

"I can do it on my own." My voice comes out harsh, and I am not at all surprised by it.

"I know you can, but you're already stressed. Let me do it, plus, Emily was telling me she signed you up for school?"

"Yea, I was supposed to go today but ill go tomorrow." I waved my hand away.

"So think of it as my school, my chore during the day." He smiles at me and I give in, grinning back.

"You guys should go see the Cullens!" Emily suggests, clapping her hands together. Anik and I share a quick look before I jump up to shower and get dressed as he stands to get something to eat.

After probably the world's fastest shower, I pull on black skinny jeans and an oversized sweater, along with black Doc Marten's, and scrunch my hair before lining my eyes quick and running a swipe of gloss over my lips. I run down the stairs to find Anik talking intimately with Leah. He looked up at me for a moment then away, and Seth took my hand from beside me.

"He imprinted on her. They never looked at each other yesterday I guess. Come on, I'm taking you to the Cullen's." I smiles as he kisses my cheek softly and leads me out to his car. As we pull out of the reservation, Seth turns up the music and sings loudly, and off-key, to the tunes.

"Turn here." He mumbles to himself. He maneuvers his car down the rocky driveway that could easily be another road, and eventually pulls up to a Victorian style, 3 story home. The beauty reminded me of the Cullen's themselves, and I pushed myself out of the car and to the door in seconds.

"Come in!" a voice calls from within.

"ESME!" I squeal as I open the door and fling myself into the kindest Cullen. She hugged my back and chuckled while the rest of the family came to say hello.

"So, why are you here?" Edward prompted.

"Oh, so my family is moving here, we think, and we were wondering if you'd build us a house in La Push? We need a house that will fit 8 people and be hidden by the forest enough to conceal the fact that we clearly aren't from around here…And of course, we will pay for it all."

"Of course we will do it!" Alice jumped around and smiled at me, hugging Esme.

"And money is not a problem dear." Carlisle says. He hugs me, and as each of the Cullens take turns giving me hugs, the chatter increases as we all make plans for the house.

"I wonder if we could do 8 bedrooms…" Alice pondered. I rolled my eyes at Seth who smiled back and took my hand. He lead me outside and I followed without question. He lead me to a bubbling creak near the river and we sat on the grass.

"So."

"So…" we turned towards each other at the same time and suddenly, without thinking about it, we leaned in slowly. Pressing our lips together woke me up, as if I was suddenly plugged into an electrical outlet. Our lips moved in unison, but the passion was companioned by kindness and love.

"I love you, and I know its early to say this, but you're my imprint and I feel like I" known you forever, so I love you." He nodded his head slightly as to say "hey, let's see you beat that" and bends down for another kiss. When I pull away, he looks at me confused.

"I love you too." I whisper. And with that, we are back to making out.


	7. Chapter 7

**OHMYGOSH YOU GUYS ARE AMAZING! I just checked and I have 1,119 views! That is so awesome and it makes me so excited! Okay, anyways, so the only think I do notice is that I'm not getting reviews…so this goes out to anyone reading this, following, and/or favoriting this story. I LOVE this story! And every little thing that happens, whether its followers or reviews or plain old views, pushes me to write more. **

** Here is the thing. I always get writers block. And right now, my family and I are actually in the middle of moving so it takes a lot to make sure I'm writing for you. My day looks something like this: wake up around 10, eat, clean/pack, eat, clean/pack, go to work, come home, write until I'm practically asleep typing, post the story, pass out, repeat. So this is why it means so much to me when people review. Seriously, critiques are the bomb!**

** Alright, well onto the story! Disclaimer I don't own SM's stuffs.**

"Maley, hon, you have to get up." Emily shook my shoulder, attempting to wake me up. "Member, you're starting school today?" I had forgotten all about that, actually. I sat up quickly and felt a smile on my face.

"Ugh, nobody should be that happy about going to school." Seth muttered from beside me. I giggled, unable to contain my excitement.

"Come on, Seth, you too." Emily threw a pillow at him, but he just groaned. Turning towards me, she said "his mom let him take a few days off to stay with you after you guys met, but now that you're going to school he has no reason not to." I could see Emily's scared face through the dim light, and the triumphant look it held was enough to make me push Seth until he started to move.

"Get up you big log." I watch Emily leave before sitting on his back.

"SCHOOL STARTS IN 30 MINUTES!" She hollers from the hallway.

"Seth, I have to shower." I jump a little and make him wake up. Sitting up, he twists so that I'm sitting on his lap. His arms wrap around me as I lean back against him, the steady beat of his heart matching mine.

"I really would rather sleep…"

"I've never gone to a school like this." I admit.

"What, like public?" he quirks his head.

"No…I mean in a school building with other kids and different teachers and books and pencils and stuff. My siblings and I all learned from our tutor, who visited each of us on our own. Despite the fact that I lived in an Inuit village, I mean we still had houses and what not…mine was just really, REALLY big, and that is where I learned." Shrugging my shoulders, I climb off of Seth and strut into the bathroom where I turn the shower on before grabbing a towel. When the water is warm enough, I climb in and am conscious of the time as I shower.

"Maley, we have to go in 15! Emily is making breakfast, do you want anything?" Seth's voice travels through the door and over the noise of the running water.

"I'll just have whatever is down there!" I shout in response. I turn off the shower and as the last drips of water fall from the showerhead, I towel off and brush my teeth, wrapping the fluffy ice blue towel around my body tightly as I open the door and find underwear and a bra to put on. Making sure the door is closed, I ignore the sleeping Seth on my bed and slip on my underwear while keeping the towel around me. The bra is trickier, but I am able to keep my back turned while I latch the hooks and slide it into place.

"I seriously have no idea what to wear…" I mutter. Seth's chortling laugh comes within seconds and I allow the noise to consume me for a few moments. "What? I like fa-oh I got it!" I turned towards my dresser to look for black knee-high socks.

"Ohh!" Seth let out a small sound and I couldn't help but turn to look at him. His face was priceless and his eyes were glued to my body. Confused, I looked town to remember the limited articles of clothing I was wearing. Laughing, I walked over to give him a light kiss on the cheek.

"You can see me later, get ready!" I promise with a wink. I turn back to my closet and look for clothes as I hop around, trying to get the knee highs on. I grab the leather skirt I had picked out at the mall and a light grey long sleeved shirt that was cropped at the torso, leaving about an inch of bare skin between my shirt and skirt.

"I'm ready when you are!" Seth's voice called. I slipped on my ever trustworthy old ratty converse before scrunching my hair, lining my eyes, and taking one last glance in the mirror. Deciding I was decent, I walked down stairs and found Emily holding a plate of bacon and scrambled eggs out for me. Wolfing the food down as Seth talked quietly with Sam, I am too keyed up to try and listen. I thanked Emily and put my dishes in the dishwasher before retying my shoelaces and then walking to the front porch.

"You seem nervous." Quil's voice sounded from close behind me and I couldn't help but jump.

"Probably because I am." I admit, slightly sarcastic. "I need to leave now." Without waiting for Seth, I jumped down the steps and start my walk towards the building I knew as the reservation's high school.

"Maley! Wait!" I turn slightly and see him running to catch up out of my peripheral. "What was that for?" he pants slightly.

"I don't want to be late." I chirp.

"Ahhh…first day jitters?"

"Yeah…I mean learning? With other kids? What is that even like?" I think out loud. It's easy to think out loud with him there, like after my mom died I wondered what she would think about what I am doing now. Seth had answered as honestly as he could before asking why I was so okay with her death. I had answered that I wasn't okay, but it is different for me because I could communicate with her spirit so it wasn't like I lost her all together.

"It's alright. Some of the teachers are assholes though, so beware. But as long as you stick with me or any of the guys, nobody will bug you." He throws me a quick smile that makes my heart flutter and I take his warm hand without thinking.

"Which of the guys are still in school?"

"Me, Brady, Collin, Brady's brother Dylan, Embry, Quil, and Jake."

"Really? They're so old though." I laugh.

"They're seniors this year, if that helps." As we near the school I start to feel queasy. What if they don't like me? Or I get bad grades? The worry starts to eat away at me.

"Hey, you'll be fine." Seth stops and cups my face in both of his large hands before kissing my forehead. I take a deep breath before starting to walk again, though this time the asphalt beneath my feet is marked with yellow parking spaces for the high school. Pulling me along with him, Seth walks over to the guys, most of which I know.

"Hey Mal, feeling better?" Quil asks with an idiotic grin on his face.

"Yea, loads." I roll my eyes.

"Oh, Maley, this is Brady, Collin, ad Dylan." Seth introduces me to three boys who are closer to my age but probably a year or two older. They share the skin, stature, and hair/eye color that the other boys all have, but their souls were younger. That much I could feel.

"Hi" I smiled at the three and waved slightly as they mumbled a response and tried to stay awake. Stifling a laugh, I say good bye to the other boy and pull Seth along with me to the main office.

"Can I help you?" the receptionist asks. She is young, with long dark hair and lighter skin than the others. Her eyes, despite sharing the same shape as the other Quileute's, were a hazel instead of deep brown.

"Uh…Yea" I cleared my throat. "I'm new here, today is my first day."

"Oh, alright. Maley Atera?" I nodded, swallowing past the lump in my throat. "Okay, here is your schedule and a map, just get each teacher to sign this page and bring it back at the end of the day." She smiled at me and I thanked her before taking the papers and walking with Seth to my locker.

"The Cullen's contacted the school already and bought all of your books." Seth says as I open up the metal chamber and see it filled with text books, notepads, and folders.

"Whoa." I breathe.

"You have Math first block with Ms. Farna. She's really nice, and I think Brady is in the class with you. We've set it up so that you have somebody you know with you in every class. I'll find you after first ends, you have History second, I'll walk you there." The bell rings and Seth leans in to kiss me before pulling back and telling me that he loves me while looking deeply into my eyes. Brady punches Seth's shoulder and he looks away from me, stalking off to his first class as Brady pulls me into the math room. We sit just as the final bell sounds and the teacher walks in.

"I hear we have a new student?" she is an older woman with kind eyes and Native American origins.

"Oh, that's me. Hi." I stand up and go over to her desk, handing her the paper I need signed. I look over my shoulder to see every student watching me intently.

"Well, why don't you introduce yourself?" the teacher suggests.

I clear my throat before speaking. "Hi, I'm Maley. Nice to meet you all…"

"Where are you from, Maley?" Ms. Farna asks.

"Uhm Alaska. But I was born in New Mexico, I travel around living in different Native American tribes to learn all of the traditions." I spit out the lie we had rehearsed as fast as possible, as if I would forget it.

"Well, that is very interesting. Please have a seat next to Jenny." The girl named Jenny raised her hand to show where she is and I grabbed my bag from where it was beside Brady and moved it to my new seat beside Jenny.

"Hi, I'm Nadie." She says.

"I thought she just said your name is Jenny?" I ask confused.

"I have a twin sister whose nickname is Jenny because her middle name is Jennifer and her first name is sooo long, anyway this old bat always gets us confused. I'm Nadie." She smiles at me again and I force out a laugh.

"I'm Maley." I say, because I don't know what else to tell her. Math passes quickly and I surprise myself when I am able to keep up. Seth meets me at the door with a kiss on my forehead and his hand grasping mine.

"How was it?" He asks me. I wave to Nadie as she passes me in the hall and she smirks back at me.

"That girl sits next to me. Her name is Nadie but the teacher calls her Jenny."

"Ahh, I know Nadie. Dylan has had the biggest crush on her for years. She's nice though, and really smart. And overly helpful…definitely over helpful." I laugh as Seth slows to a stop in front of a door that I could see an enthusiastic 25 year old male teacher at the board.

"History?"

"Yeah, Mr. Peters is crazy, but he's also awesome. You'll have fun. I think Quil is in here with you."

"Quil is? Why?"

"He failed in the first time around and since he's a senior, they are making him retake it." Seth laughs and I can't help but join in as I see Quil sulking into the room.

"Do I have anything with you?" I ask Seth. However, right as he opens his mouth to answer, the bell rings.

"I got to go, I'll see you after!" He takes off and I slip into the room where I find the teacher and hand him the paper I need signed.

"Hi Maley, we are so happy to have you here. Please, take a seat wherever your feel comfortable." I smile at him and turn to sit next to a frowning Quil.

"Wow, I never thought I'd see the day." I grin at Quil as he slinks lower into his seat.

"Shut up Maley." He sticks his tongue out at me and I laugh.

"Does your grandfather know?" I ask, trying to hold back the laughter.

"Pah shaw of course he does…He's not happy about it…but he knows…"

"See, that's why I'm the favorite." I stick my tongue out at him and he glares.

"You are only his favorite cuz of your glowyness."

"Ahh! It appears Maley and Quil know each other?!" Mr. Peters asks, a gleeful smile on his face.

"Dude, we're cousins. C'mon." Quil looks at Mr. Peters like he's an idiot and I have to bite my tongue so hard it bleeds in order to keep my laughter from spilling out.

"Oh, well I guess I didn't even think of that." Mr. Peters pretends to face palm before turning towards the board and writing dates and events with chalk and a reddened face.

"I have Quileute's language and history next. What is that like?"

"Easy, especially for us. You could probably take the final and pass now." Quil rolls his eyes and the bell rings. Seth meets me at the door again and Quil walks the other direction with his head down so fast he accidentally knocked a freshman over. I was laughing so hard I couldn't breathe and every time I looked up at Seth I broke down again. He couldn't get a word in as he brought me to my next classroom. I walked in and saw Kim.

"KIM?!"

"Oh, hey Maley. I guess nobody told you I'm the teacher for this class?" I shook my head before hugging her and making her sign my form. When class started, I noticed Collin was in here with me. As Kim spoke of our history-and all in Quileute I might add, I noticed I was intrigued by the history of these people.

"Where did you learn Quileute?" Collin whispered to me.

"When Leah came up, when I first met her, she taught me so that I would teach her Inuit in return." I whisper back. Nodding, he turned back to the board as Kim wrote out the homework, which was to read a certain story out of the fairy tail book. However, I had a feeling I already knew the story. The bell rang and Seth brought me to lunch, where I sat in between Seth and Embry and across from Quil, who would barely look at me.

"Quil, dude, what is up?" Jake punches his best friend in the shoulder as he sits.

"Maley is in my history, and our teacher is an asshole." He let his head slam into the table loudly and I rolled my eyes.

"Come on, Quil. He is not. You're just mad that I'm the favorite." I smirk at him. "You know I'm just kidding right?" Suddenly Quil perked up and he looked at me, triumphantly.

"I know, I just wanted you to feel bad. Did it work?" I think for a moment before shrugging my shoulders.

"Eh kinda." Seth and Embry shared a look across the table with Jake and they all rolled their eyes. I zone out as I eat my school provided lunch and the guys all talk about sports and cars and whatnot. The bell rings and Seth, Embry, and I all walk over to the English room. The teacher doesn't introduce herself but she signs my sheet and grunts for me to take a seat. Her class consists of an hour where the teacher writes directions on the board and we are to follow them. Today, we are reading and answering questions in a packet. When the bell rings for Biology, I can't help but leap up and run out the door. Mr. Vac assigned me to sit next to a girl named Shay and then lectures for an hour about the process of cellular respiration and how it is the same and different between plants and animals. I unintentionally stop listening, not because I am uninterested, but because Mr. Vac's voice is so monotone I want to rip my ears off. Dylan is asleep in the back of the room so that provides no amusement, and Shay is texting underneath her desk. Like most of my other teachers, Mr. Vac assigns homework and when the bell rings, I am already out in the hallway.

"Gym?" Seth asks, a glint in his eye. I nod and he leads me to the girls locker room. The teacher, Mrs. Labnin, gave me a uniform and made me get changed. When I stepped into the gym, I saw Seth, Jake, Embry, Quil, Collin, Brady, and Dylan.

All wolves.

All together in gym.

With me.

I understand now why Seth held the glint in his eye, and when the teacher told Jake to pick a team and somebody named Nathan to pick a team, all the wolves were picked by Jake. I was one of the last to be picked, probably because nobody knew how good or bad I was, but Jake picked me and when I went over to him, he told me to follow his lead. We were playing dodge ball, a game where you have to hit people with one of the red balls, but if you got hit you are out unless you catch the ball that was thrown, in which case the other person is out. It was hard, at first, to get the hang of the game, but when I got it, I was good.

We won, of course, but it came down to me and some other kid who was really good. He had a ball and I didn't, so I was determined to catch it. However, he threw it so far I couldn't have caught it if I tried. Watching my opponent, I shuffled to get the ball. He threw another one and I ducked at the last minute, grabbing the ball and throwing it at him. It didn't hit him, though, just a ball he threw so I raced around to find another ball to throw. A ball whizzed past my ear and I tuned out all the noises around me, including the guys cheering for me. I watched him throw ball after ball, and waited until he didn't have any left. Using the red ball in my hand, I threw it with careful calculations and landed it square in his stomach. The guys cheered and hugged me as the other team sulked. The gym teacher yelled for us to get changed. Seth walked with me to the office where I handed in the signed sheet and then left from. We walked home, quietly holding hands.

"I'm home!" I yelled when we walked into Sam and Emily's. Something felt off though, like an extra soul here…

"Hello?"

"Guys?" Seth and I called for people but the answering silence was accompanied by a flash out the window. We shared a quick look and dropped our bags before running into the yard.

"Anik? What is going on?" I ask, worried. Sam, Paul, and Jared are here in wolf form as well as Emily standing against a tree and Anik talking to air.

"Who is he talking to?"

"INA?!" I squealed as I saw the chameleon. I ran up to my room and grabbed an oversized tee shirt and sweats. Knowing my sister followed me into my room, I held out the clothes as she phased back into her human self. Her hair, long and thick, is tangled and her eyes show fear.

"Ina, what is wrong?" I whisper.

"I ran into Nika. She is going to try and get here, but she noticed that she was being followed. We don't know about the others, but we need everyone here." Her voice was grave, and as my quietest sibling, the fierceness of her appearance and voice alerted me.

"What are you saying Ina?"

"They are coming for you. You are not safe anywhere, they want you _dead_."


	8. Chapter 8

**Only thing for this chapter! If its in bold, its in Inuit!**

Dead. I am wanted and dead by my own neighbor tribe, and all because I am a True Defender.

"Ina, what am I supposed to do?" I look up at my sister, tears filling my eyes.

"Why do they want her to begin with?!" Embry erupts. I look down and refuse to blink in fear of spilling the tears over my cheeks.

"You never told them?" Ina's voice holds an accusation, and that is not something I like. "You are making these people protect you and you haven't even told them _why_?!" her voice rises and I start to tremble.

**"Knock it off."** I hiss.

**"You do not get to tell me what to do, Princess. These people need to know, and by hiding the truth, you are only hurting everyone."**

** "They will keep me no matter what, I've imprinted on one of their own. It's you who should be afraid, Ina. You storm in here and act like you own the world!" **

** "I did not! I am merely trying to help you and those who have taken you in!" **Anik's voice rises above ours.

**"Sisters! Stop! These people are going to try to KILL Lina! Is that what you want?!" **Ina and I look down, ashamed.

"You need to all grow a pair, because everyone here needs to know the truth." Leah's voice breaks the silence.

"Fine. Whatever." I rub my forehead with the back of my palm. "Anik, you tell them."

"Nuhuh, Ina should tell them, her idea."

"No! Lina is the TD! She should do it!"

"GOD DAMMIT! JUST TELL US ALREADY!" Quil yells. Blinking, I look at Quil.

"You know what? I have an idea. Everyone, emergency bonfire." Sam declares. Some of the members run to tell the Elders while the girls run home for sweatshirts and the pack leaves to set up the fire. I turn and run up to my room, locking myself into the bathroom.

"Maley, are you alright?" Seth's worried voice comes from the other side of the door as I turn on the faucet and splash cold water on my face.

"Yea, I'll be out in a minute!" I call back. I look up and stare at myself in the mirror and watch as my icy blue eyes change color. Purple, green, deep blue, brown, red. I blink rapidly, wanting only my icy blue eyes back. Dread fills me as I understand that I need to tell them all my true identity, my true abilities.

"Mal, babe, were about to leave." Leah's voice sounds.

"I'll be right out!" Wiping my face off with the plush towel, I take a deep breath and open the door, flicking the light off before I walk out of the bathroom.

"You okay?" she asks, throwing an arm around my shoulders.

"No, but I might as well tell them…do you think they will make me leave?"

"No, you and Seth…that makes them keep you here…and me, and the Cullens. Plus, I have a feeling the Elders already know more than they let on." Leah sends me a sideways smirk. I groan and walk out the door.

"Hey." Anik greets me from beside the door. I jump.

"Hi." I mumble, continuing on as he laughs at me. In normal times I would have stuck my tongue out at him, but the nerves were eating me alive so I just ignored him and kept walking. When we reached the fire pit, all eyes are on me and I am surprised to see the Cullens have joined us.

"Malina." Carlisle's arms are around me in seconds, hugging me and whispering below everyone else's hearing level.

"You can do this, they will still help and love you. They are good people." He whispers. I nod and wring my fingers out nervously. Sam clears his throat.

"Everyone, please take a seat."

"Except you Bill, you're good." Quil Atera Sr. jokes. Billy jabs the man with a stick and chuckles good heartedly. The two had grown up together, and Quil Sr. had actually helped Billy out a lot after the accident, or so I'm told.

"Uhm, alright, well we are all here on an emergency meeting, and we are joined by Malina, her twin brother Anik, and her older sister, Ina. So, who would like to start of the explanation?" I look at Anik and he nods before speaking.

"Well, I guess I need to start with the tale about the True Defenders." He clears his throat even though its not needed before continuing. "So your legends claim that your shifters came from the Spirit Warriors joining bodies with the wolves in order to fight the Cold Ones, or the vampires." Anik looks nervously at the Cullens, who just smile back encouragingly. "Well, True Defenders are beings that are meant to protect against all creatures, not just vampires." Anik pauses and I look at Edward, who is sitting across from me. "They are meant to fight whatever comes at them. They are born as shifters with powers, and are usually the most spiritual around." I nod to my twin. "They are energy transfers." He says simply.

"What does that mean, energy transfers?" Paul questions.

"As in," I say slowly, "whatever creature we fight, we are able to turn into, in order to protect out tribes. The energy they give off is absorbed by our bodies and we are able to use it to turn into that creature. If a TD fought say a vampire, then they would become able to shift into a vampire to fight not only this battle, but any other vampire that might come along." The pack's eyes widen as they understand.

"True Defenders are dangerous. Once they are able to become a new creature, they begin to show traits of it in everyday life. A TD who has fought a vampire may thirst for blood, or have the speed or strength of a vampire." Edward says. "Sometimes, if the True Defender is especially powerful, they are able to obtain any extra abilities that the vampire may have."

"And," Alice added on. "Maley just so happens to be the most dangerous True Defender that has been on earth in centuries."

"Why?" Sam asks quickly. Seth is quiet as he takes hold of my hand.

"Her gift connects her to the spirits, which is why she has survives so long." Billy says in his deep voice.

"When we were in Alaska, the neighboring tribes sent creatures to try and kill Malina. After a while, most gave up, but every creature they sent made her stronger, and not weaker as they had hoped. And each one gave her new, and more, power." Anik explains.

"So what have you fought?" Embry asks.

"Vampires," my eyes shift to red and fangs appear in my mouth. "Abaasy's" my eyes turn demonic green and my teeth become razor sharp and made of iron, just like the demon itself. "Oread." My eyes turn deep blue, like the mountain nymphs and my ears curve to a point at the top. "Maro deivės" my eyes become dark brown with yellow sclera and white pupils and my ears return to normal. "Banshee, but that wasn't from our neighbors." My eyes shift to a shining violet purple that I have always favored, and my sclera is one again white while my pupils are black again.

"Woah." Jared breathed.

"Yea…and I sort of accidentally got Edward's mind reading…" I cleared my throat uncomfortably.

"How is that accidental?!" Kim's voice reaches a pitch that makes my ears hurt.

"We got in a fight one day and he used it on me and I got it…"

"Wait, you did that to me the other day!" Emily exclaims. I nod my head, remembering my first night here when I unintentionally used my power on Emily.

"You don't have to worry about her control at all. She is perfectly in control, always." Anik looks angry which makes the others both concerned and curious.

"Should we be aware of something?" Sam prompts. I give my brother a look but Ina doesn't get the memo because she just has to open her mouth and throw our family tutor under the bus.

"Our tutor who taught us all how to control our shifting also helped Lina get control over her new abilities. His methods were very violent but our parents didn't know or find out and it worked so it's a secret." She blabs. Even though Ina shifts into a chameleon because she is good at hiding, it has nothing to do with her mouth because she blabs all the time.

"Ina!" Anik hisses. She does not understand the way these people work, she doesn't realize that they aren't used to the rash way she talks or the way we used to live.

"What? They asked." She shrugs her shoulders and gives him a look before turning to a stick on the ground.

"They hit you?!" Seth growls and he starts to shake. I place my hand on his shoulder.

"The past doesn't matter, only now and the future. His methods worked, that is all we need to deal with."

"But-"

"Seth, stop." My voice is even and stronger than I feel but I turn back to the rest of the circle.

"So let me just go over this once to make sure we all got it." Sam looks at me and I nod, motioning for him to continue. "You are a shifter, vampire, nymph, two different types of demon, and a banshee?" I nod. "And you're dangerous." Again, I nod.

"But only to her enemies." Anik points out.

"And you're some sort of needed spiritual leader or something that we've been waiting for?" Jacob asks. Again I nod. Sam rubs his hands on his face and Emily rubs his back as the rest of the pack and the Elders shift in their positions.

"We will of course leave if you want us to." I say, looking down at my hands. "We will not ask you to fight along side my family, we will not bring more people down." I rise so I am standing. "But I consider you all family and I would not ask for your assistance unless we, I, really needed it. Which of course, we do." I bite my lip but try to appear confident as I make eye contact with Sam. After a few moments, his lips twitch up into a smile.

"The Elders declared you as our responsibility the day you came, Malina. And, after all, you are an imprint. We will fight beside you and your family no matter what. You are family." He said simply. I smile and Seth kisses my cheek before hugging me tight.

"Thank you." I say finally, a large smile plastered on my face.

"So" Embry starts. "What's it like to be a third demon?"

"Dude, you better watch out, she'll get you." Quil shoves Embry.

"Hmm…well let me just tell you, fighting them is not fun. The fight dirty." I smirk at him and flash my razor sharp iron teeth at him for a second. "But it doesn't hurt to change into any of the other creatures anymore." Shrugging, I take my icy blue eyes and pearly whites back and Anik catches my eyes.

_I told Ina about mom, so don't worry about that._ He tells me in his mind. I look at him with wide eyes and my mouth falls open before I get a hold on myself.

"Thank you." I whisper.

"Who's hungry?" Emily pulls out about 8 packages of hot dogs and opens up the package as everyone grabs a stick to roast them over the fire and Emily passes around rolls, chips, soda, beer, and watermelon.

"I've never even heard of most of these things." Ina exclaims.

"Yeah, I know what you mean. The roll is bread, hot dogs are beef -cow- and watermelon is fruits. Try soda though, you may like it. Sweet and fizzy." I tell her. Curious, she grabs a can of Sprite and takes a sip before giggling.

"Awh that makes my nose feel weird."

"Wait until you burp!" Embry exclaims. I laugh and Ina starts to hiccup.

"Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you about that part." I laugh and Anik looks over at us, half of a hot dog shoved in his mouth.

"Whah?" he asks, his mouth full.

"Ewww! Didn't they teach you manners in Alaska?" Leah teases.

"Yah, but they also taught us to survive-which means food." Anik replied. Was he flirting? I look at Ina who gives me back a similar look.

"So, how old are each of you?" Quil asks suddenly.

"Like, all of the siblings?"

"Yeah."

"Well, Lina and I are 16." Anik says.

"And I'm 23." Ina adds.

"Sasha is 19, Kunik is 24, Nika and Namu are twins and both 18. Raykan is 26."

"Wowza, that is quite a range." Claire says.

"I guess." Anik shrugs before taking a bite out of the hot dog.

"What does "Wowza" mean?" Ina asks. Everyone laughs.

"It's slang." Embry explains.

"Oh." After a few minutes of silence, and multiple hot dogs consumed, I finally ask the one question on my mind.

"So, does this mean I still have to go to school?" I scrunch my nose as Emily laughs and nods.

"Yea, sorry doll."

"Ugh! It's so boring!" Again, everyone laughs as I throw my hands in the air, exasperated.

"Now you feel my pain!" Embry declares, which sent me over the edge giggling. The rest of the night was comfortable, filled with good food and laughter and funny stories and something called "s'mores", and I fell asleep right away in my bed, but only after Seth joined me and I was able to cuddle up against him.

"I love you." He reminds me.

"I love you too." I whisper back.


	9. Chapter 9

**You guys are amazing! I love you all so much. Disclaimer-you know it. Yada yada. Onto the story! **

"Malina, you need to get up. It's time for school." I groan.

"But I didn't do my homework." I complain. "Can I just stay home for a few hours and get it done, then go in?"

"Alice saw this happening." Leah's voice grumbles. "she did it for you. Now get up." Leah shoves me and I roll over to where Seth is. The sudden empty bed makes me bolt up and my eyes pop open.

"Where's Seth?!" panic starts to consume me and I have to focus on breathing.

"Hey, hey! Relax! He's downstairs eating!" Leah sits on my bed and I hunch my shoulders forward, fighting off the memories from last night's nightmare. Goosebumps formed on my arms as I thought of the look on my tutors face as he joined with the Panku's leader, Janji, and the two lunging forward to kill me. A cool sweat has formed at the back of my neck and my stomach starts to turn.

"Ugh." I moan slightly before jumping out of bed and vomiting bile into the toilet.

"Malina, what's wrong?"

"They're going to kill me." I whisper, my eyes closed as my face is pressed against the cool seat. "They are going to kill my no matter what, and the only thing me staying here is going to do will be get you all killed. They are a type of creature I have never encountered, for their fear that I will obtain their abilities." My lips move fast and the words come out soft and shaky. A tear dribbles down my cheek and I try to think of anything but the fear that is causing me to throw up.

"Lina, you need to relax. Nobody is going to kill you." Leah's voice is close but I'm afraid to open my eyes.

"But they are. I can feel it." I turn as I empty my stomach once more, shaking and sweating and crying. I look up at Leah and she gasps, finally understanding.

"No." she collapses onto the floor beside me and holds me in her strong arms. "No!" she says again, her voice louder and tears streaming down her face. I have never seen Leah this weak, this vulnerable, and it rips me open inside to know I have done this to her.

"Leah? Malina? Is everything okay?" Seth's voice comes from outside of my bedroom door and I shoot Leah a look.

"I need to get to the Cullen's." I whisper. Leah nods before standing up and walking to the door.

"Seth? Maley isn't feeling great today, she's going to stay home today." I hear Seth's worried reply as he tries to insist that he stay home with me.

"Seth, don't make me bring mom into this. Go to school, you can see her when you get home. She has a pretty nasty stomach bug, you don't want to be around her."

"Well why do you get to be?" Seth's voice travels to me. It breaks my heart a little.

"Because I never get sick." Leah leads her brother out of my room and from what I can understand, has Sam and Jake both command him to go to school. I hear him grumbling to Jake's car as I stand slowly and brush my teeth, deciding my hair will suffice in a ponytail. Leah walks into the room as I am easing my body into a pair of sweatpants, an oversized sweater and boots.

"How are you feeling? Sam was concerned. But I didn't tell him about the…you know…" she trails off and all I can do is laugh harshly.

"My eyes? You didn't tell him about my fucking eyes and how we both know I am going to die at the hand of the Panku? Great. Because the last think I need is more people attempting to save me when it's useless." I glare at Leah and she stares back hard.

"Look, I just forced my brother to go to school and lied to my alpha, the least you could do is not swear at me." I stand and push past her to get to the door, not stopping as I pass the kitchen and hear Emily ask how I am feeling or Sam asking what was wrong. I run into the woods and from there run as fast as I can to the Cullen's house. I can't tell if any of the wolves are around because I'm not trying, but I don't care right now. I needed to speak to Alice.

"Lina, we've been expecting you." Jasper's voice makes me relax as he opens the door wider for me to fit inside. "Alice is in the kitchen." The kitchen? This isn't a good sign.

"Thank you." I walk past Jasper, past the couches and the television and the piano and go through the doorway into the unused kitchen. Alice stands as still as a statue at the counter, her marble hands griping the counter so hard I'm amazed the counter is still in one piece.

"Alice." My voice is normal volume, but she still flinches.

"There has to be a way, something that can change!" she looks up at me and her eyes make contact with mine. "Your eyes." She whispers. She is at my side in seconds, caressing my face with her palm as if it could make the future change.

"I had a nightmare last night, woke up like this."

"Maybe it isn't all parts of you that's dying." She suggests.

"So what? I'll be down a leg, a nymph, and half a soul but I'll still be alive?" I scoff. My sickness is now replaced with anger.

"There has to be something that we can do!" she replies. I shake my head.

"You can't change the future."

"But the future can change based on different decisions." She argues.

"What decisions are to be made?" I question. "I'm here, that's been decided, I'm going to get my siblings back, that's decided."

"Wait." Alice holds up a finger and Edward enters the room with Carlisle and Emmett. "What if that's the problem? What if you change your mind-maybe only one more sibling comes? What if the issue is that all of your siblings are here, and so the Panku will find you easier?" I think about Alice's suggestion.

"So how would you do that? Everyone has their own decisions and therefore their own way of altering the future." Carlisle ponders.

"We would have to depend less on Alice's visions. Is that a chance we are willing to take?" Edward's voice holds determination laced with uncertainty.

"Lina is feeling it through the banshee. I'm not sure how that works, but it might be like my visions-dependent on choices."

"Have you ever used the banshee before?" I shake my head slowly.

"No, it's the only creature that hasn't really shown any traits." My eyebrows furrow as I consider this information and I can't help but wonder why that is.

"Well, banshee's aren't really known for many powers. Just one actually, knowing when a being will die."

"But both my parents have did since I fought a banshee and I wasn't able to predict either of their deaths. So why now?"

"Hold on." Edward holds up one long finger and shifts his wait from his left foot to his right and then to the center. "There is a possibility that it does work like Alice's gift. Your father died from drowning right?" I nod slowly. "There is no decision there, no choice. He went out to hunt, slipped, fell into the water and got taken by a whale before he could get away." The memory of the spirit's telling me of his death gives me goosebumps.

"Keep going, son." Carlisle prompts.

"However your mom was murdered, and that was planned…but it was done in the middle of the night. From what I remember, the spirits never told you anything about her murder. What if she was living among people who would kill her for, say, money or food for their family, or even the promise of safety? If they made a last minute decision, you would have been asleep, as to say unable to detect anything from the banshee part of you, especially if it was the first time it worked for you."

"But this time it gave me nightmares and made me sick, how is it all the same creature?"

"Because, the other time was against someone else, this time it is against you. Your body reacts strongly to your own death, as it should. It's a warning."

"What do I do now then?"

"You have to decide what you want to do. Do you want your entire family here, or just you, Ina, Anik, and one other person? Are you alright if your family is split up?"

I look at Carlisle before slowly forming my words. "If they don't come, is there a possibility that they won't be harmed?" worry shows in my purple eyes, for that I am sure.

"It depends on what the tribe is after, maybe they don't actually want you." Edward jokes. Emmett is looking out the window quietly.

"So call who I want here and only them?" I ask. Alice nods before I grab their house phone.

"Hello?" the deep voice answered.

"Kunik? It's Lina." I whisper into the phone.

"Lina, my girl." He breaths.

"I am sending spirits for you- but you and ONLY you." I hang up the phone without waiting for a reply and turn expectantly to a distraught Alice.

"There must be something I'm missing." Alice exclaims. "You made the choice, he made the choice…"

"There is still the choices of all of the other people." Jasper states. "It probably has to do with that." Alice nods and we all sit there, completely still, for at least 3 hours, just thinking. Seth burst through the front door and I felt a pang in my stomach.

"Maley? Are you alright?" he calls to me.

"Seth, listen to me. Things are going to get bad, and they will get bad quick. You need to stay away from me and the pack for a little while." I say, my voice a mixture of pleading and ordering.

"I can't do that, you know that."

"Yes, you can. You have to. For me."

"So what, they all get to go out and fight for you and I have to stay home like some housewife?"

"Seth, I want you safe!"

"Yea, but not my pack? You don't care about them at all, you never did. You're just using them for protection." He spits.

"Seth!" Edward scolds.

"Your pack protects me because you and I imprinted on each other. Never forget that. I care about your pack, Seth, you know that. And I'm not using them for anything except amusement and friendship! Protection is something I'm worried about and it's just nice to know sometimes that if anything happens, I have back up." I'm out of breath after my rant and feeling scared, but Seth looks at me slightly differently.

"You would rather have me safe than you?" his eyes soften.

"Of course. And your pack. You know I love you all, Seth. I'm just trying to keep you safe and out of the way of any wars that might come."

"I'm not using anyone." I whisper after the room is quiet for a few moments.

"I know. I'm sorry I snapped at you." Seth apologizes and I lean in to hug him.

"I love you." I whisper.

"I love you t-" he is cut off as Alice drops a dish and we run to her side.

"Alice? Alice what is it?!" Jackson panics as Alice stares off into space, her eyes glazed over.

"I can't tell you." She said finally. But she wasn't looking at Jasper, she was starting at me. I'm the one she can't tell.


	10. Chapter 10

** You guys are so fucking awesome, I don't even feel bad about swearing right there. I am currently 6 views away from 1,700! I love you all and just wrote out the story line up until chapter 13, so you have that to look forward too! Thank you for all of the reviews, they mean soooooo much to me you wouldn't believe. Also, I just killed a fly by dropping a notebook on it, I thought you all should know. **

** Disclaimer- Stephanie Meyer owns her stuff, I own Malina and her family and all of those people and things and the story line. You get the idea.**

"You can't tell me?!" I explode. "What the hell does that mean?! Is there some man inside your mind controlling you?!" I yell at Alice and Carlisle flinches. Esme and Rosalie walk into the room as Edward storms out, meeting up with Bella outside. His angry mumblings are incoherent, but his mouth is moving fast. He too saw the vision. If I was in better control, I could read her mind, but she knows that and will keep me angry as long as possible in order to not have to get away from me.

"Look what it just did to Edward. Why would you want to know something that does that to a person?" she tries to reason.

"Uh, because it's most likely about my death!"

"The future changes, Malina, based on different choices made by different people. You can't expect me to think it's a good idea to tell you if there is a possibility of it changing!" I think for a fast second and realize that fighting with Alice is useless. If I can calm down enough, I might be able to catch it through my mind, but only if she is thinking about it. I glare hard at her as I attempt the catch it through my mind, and when I cannot, I turn on my heels and walk out their front door, straight into their woods. I run along side the trees as fast as I can, which rivals a vampire's speed. I got more than just Edward's mind reading when we fought, which I am now grateful for. I find a clearing that is hidden by a thick amount of trees on all surrounding sides and sit cross legged in the center.

The clearing itself is a field of wild grasses and purple and white flowers, but it was the privacy and protection that the trees gave that I needed. Though the beauty was a nice touch."

"My spirits," I call out, my eyes closed and my body relaxed as I focus on the excess energy I am surrounded by. "please help me in the discovery of information held from me." Orbs of soft icy blue wisped in front of me and I saw many spirits, most of which I recognized. Old tribal spirits who have followed me around since birth, or the tribal Elders who have passed since my birth, along with my parents, great aunts and uncles, my grandparents from both sides, and my mother's brother who died in a hunting trip when I was young.

"Please, the knowledge of this vision may help save many lives." I plead to them.

"My dear Malina." My Great Aunt Sunsa's spirit knelt down in front of me and her ghostly hand caressed my cheek. "Alice is a good soul, we have seen that for you from the day you met her."

"If she didn't have a good reason to keep the vision from you, I'm sure she wouldn't have. We all stand beside Alice's judgment, but if you need help with something else please let us know, dear." My grandmother adds. I slouch and let my head fall into my hands as I groan and sigh.

"So what am I supposed to do?"

"Let others take care of you." Mom's eyes look at me compassionately. Sighing, I start to stand up and thank the spirits for their time, effort, and energy before releasing them and walking slowly back to Sam's house.

"Maley!?" somebody's voice is tense and worried as it calls out for me, and while I don't pay attention to the voice, I _do_ pay attention when Anik steps in my path.

"Malina, you need to speak at some time." His voice holds the authority a father's voice might.

"No, I don't actually. Plus apparently Alice knows more than I do, so if you want more information, you should ask her." I sneer, and though I feel bad for saying it so nastily, I also just wanted to get back to my own bed. I climb under the covers and snuggled down under them, pretending that Alice didn't have a vision regarding to my death. The comforter was over my head when a knock came to my bedroom door. I pretended to not hear it as a way to hope the person would go away, but they just knocked again Suddenly I heard the door open and I stiffened.

"Maley, are you alright?" Emily asks. "Are you hungry?" I pretend to be asleep and after she tries to get me to talk again she leaves. To my pleasure, I fall asleep after a few minutes and am not woken up until Emily tells me its time for dinner. With my stomach still feeling queasy, I try not to feel guilty as I fake sleep more and Emily once again leaves with the impression that I was sick and exhausted and just needed sleep. The last thing I heard before I fell asleep was her promise that tomorrow I would be at school.

"Maley, wake up doll." Seth brushes back hair from my face and shakes my shoulder lightly. "Time for school. Leah said there is no way you're getting out of this one." Though all I felt was ill and tired, I made myself get up and get dressed. I passed on any food from the kitchen and focused on breathing as the school day started. The morning classes passed easily and I turned in my homework. I hid in the nurse's office during lunch to avoid the pack mates and twirl my fingers into my hair as I catch up on missed work and gossip. Feeling unusually ill, I convince the nurse to let me lie down instead of going to gym, and hobble home at the end of the day.

As I walk slowly and painfully up the stairs, I don't even notice the extreme quiet or the face that I have an extra sibling sitting there watching me. I just continue up to my room where I once more turn off the light and burry myself under the blankets.

"Malina?" Emily's voice is at the door and I don't answer as she brings in Kunik with her. My body starts to shake and Emily's cool hand presses against my forehead. I shiver again before cracking a sickly smile at Emily.

"Is she sick?" Kunik panics.

"Yes, but it's got to be from something environmental." She deducts clearly, As they sit in my room thinking of what do to next, I start to fall asleep and reach the wanted level of unconsiousness.

"Malina?! Stay with me!" Emily's voice panics, but it's too late and I am asleep.

**So! What did ya think? I wrote it falling asleep so it's both not great nor long, but I tried! Tell me what ya think!**


	11. Chapter 11

**You guys continue to amaze me! Thank you all so much for your views and reviews! 2,125 y'all! Woot woot! **

**Disclaimer: you know the deal.**

"Malina? Stay with me!" Emily's voice was loud and scared, but it reached me and woke me up.

"She's awake." Kunik breathes in relief. My entire body hurts and I cannot stop shaking, but I force myself to stay awake.

"We need to get her downstairs." My brother scoops me up easily and holds me close as he brings me downstairs.

"What's going on?!" Seth's voice is near, but my eyes are closed and I cling to Kunik.

"She's burning up, even more so than usual." Emily tells Sam. The house is currently filled with Ina, Anik, Kunik, Emily, Sam, Seth, Leah, Embry, Kim, and Jared. Kunik lowers me onto the couch and the group of people circle around me.

"Nik, stay." I mumble. Kunik sits at the other end of the couch and I swing my body around so that my head is in his lap. As one of the oldest brothers, Kunik has always been very parental to me. And now, with both parents dead and the majority of my siblings not with me, I need his familiarity more than every.

"So what does that mean?" Seth asks, worried.

"I'll call Carlisle." Anik pulls out his phone, I'm sure.

"Emily said something about environmental?" Kunik asks. I can picture his full eyebrows turned down and his tanned face scrunched up.

"As in, something she has come in contact with. Maybe at school or from here. It could be an allergic reaction or it could be a toxin. But it's something that is making her sick." Emily explains and my stomach clenches.

"Lina, when did you start to feel sick?" Ina's voice is close and she runs her hand over my hair. When I crack an eye open, I see she is on her knees next to the couch.

"I felt ill this morning, and it got a lot worse after I got home from school today."

"You threw up yesterday morning too." Leah pointed out. "It might have been from the dream, but it could also be from whatever is making you sick now." A knock came to the door and I hear Sam's voice as he welcomes in Carlisle.

"Oh Lina." Carlisle's voice is close by and I feel his cool hands on my shoulders. "Can you try and sit up for me, darling?" I nod slowly before allowing Carlisle to pull me up. His fingers find my pulse easily and his eyebrows furrow. Too exhausted to care, I focus on keeping my eyelids open.

Emily explains her theory about environmental causes and Carlisle agrees with her.

"Shifters often have different reactions that humans, however I would assume it to be extremely rare for a shifter to have allergies." He purses his lips. "She smells like ivy." My siblings and I all suck in our breaths, while the rest simply just wait for an explanation.

"Ivy is poisonous to True Defenders." Anik whispers, as if he's thinking out loud.

"So somebody tried to kill her?" Seth erupts. He starts to shake but I give him a look and he stops.

"It would appear so." Carlisle answers.

"But where? She barely leaves the house, and when she does she has people with her. She even has one of the guys in each of her classes!" Kim throws her hands in the air. I groan quietly and close my eyes as Carlisle finds a spot on my back that hurts more than other spots. It feels like someone is burning my skin and the ache continues deep into the muscle.

"Oh." He gasps suddenly. "Lina, do you have a shirt on underneath this?" I nod and he unzips my hoodie and helps me get it off. The tank top I am wearing is a deep red and makes my skin appear more russet than olive.

"Oh my god." Ina gasps. Her hand covers her mouth and her eyes are wide. "Oh my god." She says again.

"What the hell is that from?!" Seth's voice yells. I look around and everyone is either staring horrified or looking green.

"When ivy touches a True Defender, it burns through the skin. The oil gets into the blood stream and slowly kills them. Usually, by the time it is figured out, it's too late. You have to wash the skin with certain chemicals or the oil won't break down." Carlisle talks quickly, writing down the materials needed to wash the oils off me. From what I feel, the burn has created a deep hole and the oil has definitely started to work.

"How long do we have to work?" Emily asks.

"I'd give it 6 hours at the most." He replies sadly.

"We need to work fast and together then." Kunik says. "She is the last True Defender left anywhere, she needs to be kept alive. No matter what." He nods with Anik as if they had agreed upon something.

"I'll call my family and tell them we are on our way. I have most of the materials at home and I have medical supplies there also." Sam looks like he wants to argue but Emily holds him back and gives him a look.

"How should we get Malina there?" Embry asks, stepping in.

"Kunik can run fast. He can carry her." Ina suggests. She must get a look when she says it though because she continues on. "Kunik has a bond with Lina that the rest of us don't, only Anik comes close. Something about being close to him makes her heal better, we've seen it before." I open my eyes and see everyone look at each other with pursed lips and sideways glances, but they nod and Kunik stands and then leans over to pick me up. I pull my arms in and curl up as much as I can against him, my eyes closed tightly. For awhile after that, all I hear is wind past my ears. Eventually we slow and the familiar bright glow of the Cullen's house is seen through my eyelids.

"Set her here." Carlisle's voice orders. Kunik lowers me down onto a mattress. I didn't dare move, conserving all my energy for breathing.

"Carlisle, what's happening?" Esme asked. I can here that everyone in the Cullen family is here, but I'm suddenly fading faster than I was before.

"Malina, stay with me, my girl." Kunik's warm hand is running over my hair and I open my eyes to see my favorite brother. Nobody else really gets it, why we are so close. I don't all the way either, but I think a lot of it has to do with how much I looked up to him. I was 10 and he was 18 when my father passed away, and even though Raykan was 20, Kunik was the one who took the role as the man of the house. He promised me he would never let anyone hurt me, and taught me how to control my powers and fight. Raykan just sat around and made everyone else do all the work. He and Kunik got in many fights and as my mother got older, they had to decide who would be in charge more and more. Mom always had the final say, but after my father's death, she grew distant for a little while.

"Nik." I whisper.

"Lina stay with us!" he pleads.

"I'll always be with you." I reply with a small smile on my face. Tears stream down my face and I hear a few people sniff.

"Lina, stay with us! Carlisle is working on the solution!" Leah says.

"Shit!" Carlisle swears. Despite the fact that I felt like I was underwater, I still heard the usually calm man swear. I jumped, surprised, and my entire body seared in pain.

"What, Carlisle, what?!" Ina asks.

"I am missing the last ingredient!"

"It's okay." I whisper, my eyes closing. "It's okay. I'm ready. If I go now, the other tribe will leave you all alone. This is what's best." I smile softly and allow myself to relax.

"Lina! No! Stay with us! Please!" I hear sobbing , but it's too late. I'm unconscious.

Nobody's POV

The mixture of creatures race around, trying to figure out how to find the last ingredient: the root of an ivy plant.

"There has to be some outside!"

"What should we do? Send out teams?"

"Embry, Quil, and Jared, you guys go back to La Push and see if you can find any. Look at the trees on your way, but be careful. And make sure to get the root! You have to follow the leaves back to it. Go!" Carlisle instructs and the three wolves take off.

"Alice, you and Jasper take Ness and Jake and look along the river. Ina, Edward, Bella, Leah, and Seth, check in the woods. Be fast. Emmett and Rose, I need you here to start the mixture with me. Kunik, Esme, and Anik will take care of Malina." The groups run off, agreeing to yell when they find some and to come back immediately. Esme turns Malina over and uses a wash cloth to gently wipe the wound. Carlisle gets Emmett and Rose started on making the concoction and then gets Lina set up with an IV that would help her body get the oil out of her blood stream.

"Ivy root is hard to get." Esme explains to Kunik and Anik. "Most of the ivy you see on the ground or trees are not connected directly to the roots. Ivy is known for growing towards the sun in any way possible-which means away from the roots. They get long and tracing it back to the root can be difficult." She speaks soothingly as she continues to clean the wound.

Everyone is quiet for a while, focusing on their own tasks. Suddenly, the door flies open and Embry, Quil, and Jared are holding handfuls of ivy root, the other groups following behind empty handed. They hurry to add the root to the concoction and once Carlisle deems it ready, he brings it over to Esme.

"You boys need to hold her down. Her body will fight it even if she isn't awake." Esme instructs. She dips a cloth into the boiling orange liquid and slowly drip it into the burned flesh. Lina's back arches and her arms start to fight Esme. Her brothers are quick, however, and pin her down, watching as everyone takes a seat and watches as Esme gets more of the liquid into Malina's body. Eventually, Carlisle says that it's enough and Esme uses the cloth the wipe the liquid gently on the surrounding skin. Carlisle changes the IV and this time the fluid is bright blue.

"Ammonia. It binds with the oil and the body changes it into urea. She'll be in pain but it will clear it out of her system and then her body will heal the damage." He connects the chemical to the IV and Esme bandages the wound before flipping Lina onto her back.

"The liquid will go through the system and get whatever poison hasn't been processed yet and then it will drain back through the wound." Carlisle explains.

"Ewww." Quil groans. Lina stirs but that's all.

"Will it scar?" Leah asks.

"Most likely." Carlisle admits. Everyone stays quiet for a long time before Sam speaks.

"So who did this?"

"Somebody would have had to touch her back right at that spot, without anything covering it." Edward says. The Cullen's had been unusually quiet as they watched their family member-as they called Lina- lie there dying.

"She always wears the tank tops." Rosalie says.

"Was there a time where she went out in one?" Jared asks. Seth shakes his head.

"She knows it would be too conspicuous. She only would if we were inside."

"Inside? Like at the school?" Emily asks.

"Yea, I guess. But only if people wouldn't think she was crazy."

"What about gym class?" Bella asks suddenly.

"The uniforms are tee-shirts." Embry dismisses the idea.

"Wait." Nessie demands. "You said she always wears the tank tops?"

"She always has before." Ina shrugs. "she doesn't like being seen."

"What if somebody did it in the locker room?" Nessie suggests. "Maybe patted her on the back or something?"

Everyone is quiet. "Well, we won't know until she wakes up…" Seth says finally.

"When will that be?"

"I'd say within the next 3 hours." Carlisle guesses. "She won't be 100% right away though, so we have to be careful."

"But she's going to wake up?" Seth's voice holds worry and anxiety.

"Yes." Alice says. "I've seen it." Her face holds worry though, and only Alice and Edward know how much they are truly hiding.

**Guys! How'd you like it? It was hard to write-that's for sure. I'm going to update as soon as I can, I love you all! Mwah!**


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